More drug busts thanks to better ‘intelligence’

THE number of drug busts carried out by police in North Wales has rocketed thanks to “increased intelligence and information”.

The force has seen a 9% rise this year, compared to a 2% drop in seizures across England and Wales.

New figures from the Home Office reveal that police in North Wales made 1,179 seizures in 2017/2018, compared to 1,083 in 2016/17.

Of the 135,728 drug seizures in England and Wales, 72% involved cannabis, making it the most commonly seized drug.

In May, a large-scale cannabis factory was smashed by police after a raid on a property on Land’s End in Holyhead.

More than 60 cannabis plants were discovered and a 24-year-old man was arrested.

Cops also seized an array of industrial extractor fans, vents, coolers and other paraphernalia for assisting in the plants’ production.

The same month, seven were arrested in connection with the supply of hard drugs following a series of raids in Wrexham, Llangollen and Merseyside under Operation Bypass.

In October, a 22-year-old man, a 40-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman were arrested following a drugs raid in Denbigh, where cannabis, drug paraphernalia and a quantity of Class A drugs were all seized from the address in Maes y Goron.

Later that month, cannabis dealer Nathan Davies, 33, of First Avenue in Wrexham, was jailed for 10 months after being found in possession of thousands of pounds worth of the drug during a police raid.

Last November, more than 30 properties were stormed as part of an operation to crack down on drugs throughout the region as part of Operation Scorpion.

Detective Inspector Jon Russell from North Wales Police said: “Our priorities include tackling organised crime and the County Lines drugs supply into North Wales.

“We are targeting resources to tackle these areas including raising public and media awareness. As a consequence we have had increased intelligence and information which in turn has led to more drug seizures.”