Hard-line approach sees more arrests and cash, drugs and weapons seized

More than £100,000 worth of drugs and almost £80,000 cash was seized in Wiltshire in a week-long series of raids.

Huge quantities of crack cocaine, as well as cocaine, heroin and cannabis, plus weapons including firearms, a Samurai sword, machete and knuckleduster were also recovered in the latest phase of Operation Scorpion – an initiative involving the South West’s five police forces.

In Wiltshire, there were:

• 10 arrests
• £103,000 worth of drugs seized
• £79,475 cash seized
• 5 weapons seized, including two firearms, plus an e-bike and £230,000 worth of clothes and watches
• 18 cuckooed addresses visited

During the seven days of operations from June 10 to June 16, police teams targeted gangs and addresses of suspected drugs dealers and suppliers; stepped-up patrols of known hotspots and used technology to disrupt county lines activities. 

Wiltshire Police Detective Chief Inspector Megan Elkins said: “Operation Scorpion allows us to work together with colleagues from across the South West to ensure the region is no place for drugs.

“Through excellent proactive work, featuring a number of specialist teams across the Force, we were able to execute a series of warrants across the county, resulting in substantial amounts of drugs, cash and jewellery being seized.

“These are excellent results and mean that a significant amount of drugs have been removed from our streets, as well as disrupting these organised networks which bring so much misery to our communities.

“Our work doesn’t end here as we will continue our efforts to investigate those arrested, take more drugs off our streets, share intelligence and protect the vulnerable.

“We also need the public to continue to report whenever they suspect drug dealing, so we can build up our intelligence picture to allow officers to focus first on where the problem is worst.”    

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “I’m pleased to see that the efforts of Wiltshire Police have resulted in positive results in terms of removing drugs and related weapons off the streets, as well as making arrests and safeguarding vulnerable people.

“Operation Scorpion is the South West regional collaboration to tackle county lines and demonstrates a border-less approach to policing 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.

“Drug crime, and the violence that usually accompanies it blights the lives of our residents and the communities they live in. By continuing to report your concerns to the police they are better placed to tackle the issues head on and take action as demonstrated by Operation Scorpion.”

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, the British Transport Police, South West Regional Organised Crime Unit and the independent charity Crimestoppers are also combining their resources to tackle drug supply in the region and make the South West a hostile environment for those who deal drugs and engage in anti-social drug taking activity.

Anyone with information about illegal drugs activity should report it to their local police service online or using the non-emergency 101 telephone line. Always call 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively you can pass information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year on 0800 555 111 or you can use their non-traceable online form. They will never ask for a name or contact details and the phone call or online report will never be traced. If the information supplied leads to an arrest and charge, there could be a cash reward of up to £1,000.

*****

Full regional results:

• 64 arrests
• £152,173 worth of drugs seized
• £198,088 cash seized
• 29 weapons were seized
• 28 vulnerable people safeguarded