Addresses in Coalville and Hugglescote were raided by police last week as part of a crackdown on County Lines gangs.

It involved the execution of warrants, protecting the vulnerable and intercepting vehicles potentially involved in county lines activity.

Leicestershire Police reported they have carried out 33 warrants, arrested 37 people and safeguarded 17 children and 10 adults during a national week of enforcement activity to target County Lines drug dealing.

The operation was part of a national County Lines Intensification Week (CLIW) (Monday 17 May to Sunday 23 May) which saw police forces up and down the country working with a range of partners to make arrests and safeguard the vulnerable.

In the Coalville area, Leicestershire Police have confirmed the following addresses were targeted:

* Ravenstone Road, Coalville – 1 arrested

* Briars Lane, Hugglescote – 1 arrested

* Discovery Close, Coalville – 2 arrested

* Sharpley Avenue Coalville - 1 arrested

In North West Leicestershire as a whole, there were seven warrants and nine arrests including raids on addresses in Kegworth and Castle Donington.

The police say that County Lines gangs export drugs into other areas of the country, often small towns, using dedicated mobile phone lines.

They also exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store drugs and money, sometimes using coercion, intimidation and violence.

Warrants were executed throughout the week in hotspot areas including North West Leicestershire, Charnwood, Melton Mowbray and East and West Leicester.

As well as arresting 37 people, officers recovered what's believed to be class A and B heroin, crack cocaine, cannabis, a large quantity of cash, a Rolex watch, 29 phones, three laptops, numerous sets of scales, blank firing firearms and ammunition, a BB gun and a stolen car.

Some of the warrants were carried out with officers from the East Midlands Special Operation Unit (EMSOU).

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Sinski from the Force Intelligence Bureau said: "It has been an incredibly successful week not just in terms of arrests and charges but also in the way we have worked with so many partners from community safety partnerships to education and social services, as well as drug intervention organisations such as Turning Point, to protect vulnerable people who are being exploited.

"Drugs have a very negative affect on people's lives and blight communities by bringing crime and anti-social behaviour to their doorstep.

"There is no doubt in my mind that our enforcement action will have significantly disrupted the supply of drugs into our county towns but we are not complacent and will continue to focus on this priority area with more warrants already planned."

Rupert Matthews the force's new Police and Crime Commissioner said: "County lines week was a demonstration of an intelligence-led operation; it serves to counter drug smugglers who are exploiting vulnerable children and using them as a way of getting harmful and illegal drugs into our city and two counties.

"Prevention strategies like this are not just a great demonstration of reacting to and stopping crime but also a great way of deterring criminals.

"I must say that the police have been doing a fantastic job and it is teamwork like no other. I look forward to seeing some great results."