South West police forces take £100,000s drugs off the streets
Gloucestershire Police have shared more about a week-long period of action
Gloucestershire Police have shared the latest stats after a week-long regional crackdown on the production of sale of drugs on the streets of the county - and across the South West.
More than £150,000 worth of drugs was taken off Gloucestershire's streets as part of joint work by five police forces across the South West to create a metaphorical ‘ring of steel’ around the region in order to dismantle drug supply networks and create an inhospitable environment for criminals.
The operation was called 'Vanquish' in Gloucestershire, and was a collaboration between police forces in Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, Avon & Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SW ROCU), and the charity Crimestoppers.
The focus was on targeting visible street dealing and the impact of drug activity within our local communities.
In Gloucestershire, the police have confirmed that more than 20 vulnerable people were engaged with and safeguarded as a result of the work, and a zombie knife, extendable baton and two machetes were seized during the enforcement action.
It also coincided with National County Lines Intensification Week (Monday 4 March - Sunday 10 March 2024).
Across the South West region as a whole, Gloucestershire Police have confirmed that the operation led to:
- 126 people being arrested
- More than £814,000 worth of drugs being seized
- More than £95,000 of cash being seized
- 67 weapons seized and over 200 weapons surrendered by the public
- 135 vulnerable people safeguarded
Neil Corrigan, Assistant Chief Constable of Dorset Police, representing the five forces said: “This was a large operation involving both uniform and plain clothes officers across the region to disrupt drug activity and support local communities.
“The activity carried out as part of Operation Scorpion was centred on the intelligence and information received from local communities about individuals involved in drug supply.
“Using information reported to police and CrimeStoppers, forces were able to build up a picture of what illegal activity was happening and use the intelligence to inform how and where we would target our operational activity.
“I would like to thank the public for the information they have provided and reinforce the importance of community intelligence to the success of operations like this.
"Please continue to contact us with information and report any concerns you may have, whether in relation to drug activity, vulnerable people being exploited or any other suspicious activity and help us make the South West a hostile environment for drug related crime.”
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.