PM pledges to ‘cut the head off the snake’ in fight against drugs-trade 27 Jan 2021 West Midlands Police The leaders of criminal gangs will be specifically targeted as the Prime Minister announces new funding to address the “scourge of illegal drugs”. Of an extra £148 million promised, £40 million will be used to help the police target county lines gangs and bring “drug kingpins” to justice. In a review carried out for the Home Office and published last year, Professor Dame Carol Black said drugs crime was “a major driver” behind rising violence but the issue had “fallen down the priority list” for most police forces.