A MAN has been arrested at Bournemouth train station after the British Transport Police moved to disrupt county lines operations.

The 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and was one of five arrests made in the space of five days by the BTP county lines taskforce.

In the five-day period, officers took part in four operations, seizing one vehicle, nine phones, class A and B drugs, and £6,000 in cash.

The operations saw drugs dogs and officers from BTP’s taskforce, both uniformed and plain-clothed, deployed to key train routes and stations across the south west of England.

Locations targeted included Bournemouth, Bristol and Weymouth, with a focus on direct train routes to larger cities across England which are often drug export locations.

BTP county lines taskforce lead, detective superintendent Gareth Williams, said: “These results are testament to the successful partnership working with our policing colleagues in the region.

“Intelligence sharing is key to disrupting the county lines business model and, importantly, identifying and safeguarding those being exploited by these criminals to move their harmful commodities across the UK.

“We will tackle this crime type alongside our policing partners wherever it occurs, ensuring drugs are intercepted before they reach communities.”

Superintendent Andrew Dilworth from Dorset Police said: “Partnership working is key to tackling the complex problem of county lines.

"The fantastic work done this week by British transport Police and partners shows how effective a joined up approach can be.

"Dorset Police is committed to disrupting the activity of county lines gangs in our county and safeguarding the vulnerable people that those gangs exploit.”