Twenty people were arrested in Brighton and Hove last week in a crackdown on “county lines” drug dealing.
Sussex Police said that 13 of the arrests were made when officers carried out 24 “stop checks” on people and vehicles.
And officers seized more than 250 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, more than 30-grams of cannabis being seized, three weapons and about £15,000.
Sussex Police said: “The force arrested 20 people while safeguarding referrals were made for two women, two men and two children. ‘Cuckooing’ checks were also undertaken at nearly 30 properties in the city.”
The cuckooing checks aim to protect vulnerable people whose homes have been taken over by gangs as a base for drug dealing.
The crackdown was part of a national County Lines Intensification Week from Monday 27 February to Sunday 5 March.
The goals included disrupting drug dealing lines, catching perpetrators and protecting people at risk of exploitation, supported by partners such as Crimestoppers.
Police also visited four schools in Brighton and Hove where they spoke to more than 2,000 students.
Detective Superintendent Stuart Hale, who leads on criminal exploitation for Sussex Police, said: “County Lines Intensification Week is a brilliant opportunity for the public to see some of the ways we are disrupting the supply of drugs into our county.
“Rest assured, this activity happens all year round. Our officers are continually conducting warrants, doing cuckoo checks and providing educational material to schools.
“When we say ‘county lines’ many people think of the drug suppliers but the vulnerable people who get caught up in this are sometimes overlooked.
“It is imperative that we safeguard those vulnerable people who fall victim to drug dealers – young and old, coerced into dealing drugs or surrendering their homes as bases for illegal activity.”
Sussex police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne said: “County lines drug dealing is a destructive crime and the impact expands far beyond just those who are directly involved.
“It affects those young people groomed into gangs, their families, those buying drugs, as well as the safety of our county’s road networks and the wider community.
“This intensification week has once again been a success and highlights the good work of not only Sussex’s specialist units but of officers and partners as they continue to detect and disrupt criminals travelling into and around Sussex.
“The week also presents an opportunity for parents, carers and professionals to be educated about spotting the signs of exploitation and coercion as well as the catalysts that start a dangerous chain of events for young people making life-changing decisions.”
There is a Cuckooing exploitation happening at Falmer Station House, which the police have ignored after several attempts to get help. As a resident here in the area I am fed up with drugs going out to students, it’s very convenient for the dealer to operate here under the banner of burger seller. As I resident surely I have a right for this to be stopped.