More than 90 people were arrested and £40,000 cash seized during a week of activity across the South West targeting the illegal drugs trade and child criminal exploitation.
Large quantities of Class A and B drugs were also taken off the streets in the latest combined operation involving the South West’s five police forces.
During the seven days of operations from 25 November to 1 December, police teams targeted gangs and addresses of suspected drugs dealers and suppliers; stepped-up patrols of known hotspots and used technology to disrupt so-called county-lines activities.
Figures just released show that across the region,
- 95 people were arrested
- £47,863 cash was seized
- 37kg of cannabis, plus 564 cannabis plants were seized
- 3.7kg of cocaine was seized
- 107 people were safeguarded, including 32 children
The week of activity also had a particular focus on child criminal exploitation where criminals groom and exploit young people into carrying out crimes on their behalf. Like using children and other vulnerable young people to move drugs and money across county borders.
Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone said, “Operation Vanquish is about combining the resources, intelligence and enforcement powers of all the police forces across the South West to create the most difficult environment for those intent on dealing illegal drugs across our region.
“The results from the latest week’s regional activity of arrests and drugs seizures show that we continue to be effective in disrupting the illegal drugs trade – dismantling organised criminal gangs, removing illegal substances from our neighbourhoods and arresting those who deal them”.
In a further bid to prevent it happening, a mock alleyway has been created at SkillZone, an educational facility in Gloucester which has created a real-life scenario to help young people learn about the dangers of county lines drugs gangs and how they operate. Funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, it is the first educational facility of its kind in the South West and is run by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service’s Serious Violence Project and Evaluation Lead Lewis Whitter.
“Gloucester and Cheltenham are some of the most deprived areas in the UK. So, for myself, being born in Gloucester and growing-up around Barton Street, it was quite easy to get pulled into county lines, drug dealing and the different kind of serious violence subjects that’s around there” he said.
“But it’s nice to be able to bring my own personal experience to the job. And to be able to give children and young people what I never had”.
South West regional drugs intensification weeks are a collaboration between the five police forces in the South West region – Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, Avon & Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The region’s five Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), the British Transport Police, South West Regional Organised Crime Unit combine resources to tackle the supply of illegal drugs in the region and make the South West a hostile environment for drugs.
Chris Nelson, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Gloucestershire, said: “Region-wide operations like this demonstrate a border-less approach to policing in an attempt to reduce the serious harm and violence caused by drugs across the whole region, as drug crime isn’t just a problem in urban police areas.
“This phase was particularly focussed on the criminal exploitation of young people by drugs gangs and I want to urge parents to not shy away from having the difficult conversations with their child if they’re concerned. Parents must have open conversations with their children around County Lines, knife crime and associated criminality, and know what signs to look out for.
Nick Evans, Deputy PCC and Chair of Gloucestershire’s Combating Drugs Partnership said: “We know that County Lines involving criminals who supply and distribute illegal drugs across our borders, creating complex networks of drugs lines around the region, will continue. However, in response, we will continue to take a strong and robust stance against exploitative criminality.
“But I also want to encourage those that use drugs to get help to stop using. VIA, the County’s new drug and alcohol treatment service, along with Narcotics Anonymous can help start their journey away from dependence. That way we can reduce the hold these exploitative criminal dealers have on some of the most vulnerable people in the County, and stop them from ruining more lives.”
Anyone with information about illegal drugs activity should report it to their local police service online or via 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.
