A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs in Nottingham city centre.
Police said CCTV operators alerted officers at around 2.10am on 9 September after spotting a boy acting suspiciously in Lincoln Street.
Operators then followed his movements on CCTV to Pelham Street, where police said he was seen taking an item from inside his trousers and handing it to a rough sleeper in exchange for cash.
Officers attended and searched the boy, recovering and seizing a quantity of cash.
The arrest formed part of Operation Reclaim, a partnership operation targeting city centre offences, including drug dealing.
Police said more than 30 people had been arrested in connection with possession with intent to supply offences since the operation began in May. Drugs seized during the operation included crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, MDMA and mamba.
In a separate incident on 30 September, roads policing officers used a device to puncture a vehicle’s tyres as it travelled into the city centre. Police said a large quantity of cocaine was found in the car.
A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug. A teenager was also found inside the vehicle, and police said safeguarding measures were underway to protect them.
Neighbourhood Police Inspector Paul Ferguson said the operation involved partners identifying suspected drug activity and reporting it to officers. He also said drug dealers used children to carry out offences in an attempt to avoid detection.
