In a brazen display of criminal audacity, a sophisticated drug-dealing network was caught on camera conducting its illicit trade in plain sight on a picturesque Cornish beach, triggering a major police operation.
Shocking video evidence, obtained during a covert surveillance mission, shows the gang operating with chilling normality amidst families and holidaymakers. The footage captures the moment a drug runner, disguised in swim shorts and carrying a towel, makes a discreet handover of Class A substances.
The Sting Operation
Acting on intelligence, undercover officers from Devon and Cornwall Police monitored the gang's activities for weeks. The investigation, dubbed Operation Lithium, culminated in a series of coordinated dawn raids across the St Austell area.
Detective Inspector Steve Mayhew described the gang's methods as "highly organised." He stated: "The individuals involved were using the beach as a cover, believing their activities would blend in with the summer crowds. This was a calculated and sophisticated operation."
Community Impact and Police Response
The arrests have sent ripples through the local community, traditionally associated with tourism and fishing. Police have seized a significant quantity of drugs, believed to be heroin and cocaine, along with cash and mobile phones.
Authorities have urged anyone with information about drug activity in coastal communities to come forward, emphasising that this crackdown is part of a wider effort to combat county lines operations exploiting coastal regions.
