SMASHING county lines drugs networks is a key priority of a North Yorkshire Crime Commissioner candidate who has revealed his plan for tackling the problem.

Philip Allott, the Conservative Party’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner candidate, says he will step up the fight against county lines drug dealers if elected on May 6.

He has made dealing with the crime one of his key election pledges and has devised a five-point action programme.

The first will be to encourage North Yorkshire Police to use ‘stop and search’ powers more often based on relevant information.

Mr Allott wants increased investment in drone technology to track drug dealers in the more remote locations where there may be limited or no CCTV coverage.

And he wants more police time devoted to targeting the bigger drug dealers and wishes to build on existing partnerships with educational establishments to develop a more integrated approach with common goals and objectives.

Lastly, Mr Allott says he wants more treatment made available by providing more detox facilities for drug addicts

He said: “There are no silver bullets to smash county lines drug dealers but what I can promise if elected on May 6 is that through actions, I will make it clear that drug dealers have no place in North Yorkshire and York and I will do what it takes to disrupt their trade and have them locked up.”