Boy in Oswestry sells drugs to mother amid county lines crackdown
- A child was caught on camera selling drugs to his mother in Oswestry, highlighting the involvement of young children in drug trafficking.
- West Mercia Police initiated a major operation after a knife attack on a woman, which was a warning to drug users about unpaid debts.
- The investigation resulted in the arrest of 14 gang members, leading to a total of 70 years in prison for their involvement in drug trafficking.
In Oswestry, Shropshire, a disturbing incident involving a child selling drugs to his mother was captured on video and released by West Mercia Police. The footage is part of a documentary detailing the police's efforts to dismantle a drug gang responsible for significant drug trafficking in the area. The gang, known as the 'Boris' line, was led by individuals from Liverpool, including McArdle and the Mason brothers, who were involved in selling crack cocaine and heroin. The police launched a surveillance operation following a violent knife attack on a woman, which was intended as a warning to drug users about the consequences of unpaid debts. This attack occurred on January 7, 2019, and highlighted the gang's brutal tactics. Over the course of their investigation, police identified multiple gang members and arrested several suspects, seizing substantial amounts of drugs and cash. The gang's operations resulted in over £100,000 worth of drugs being sold between July 2018 and February 2020. Following the arrests, McArdle and the Mason brothers were convicted of various charges, including drug supply and modern-day slavery. McArdle received a life sentence for his role in the knife attack, while the Mason brothers were sentenced to ten and eight years, respectively. In total, 14 individuals were convicted, receiving a combined sentence of 70 years. This case underscores the serious issue of county lines drug trafficking and its impact on communities, particularly involving vulnerable children and families.