SPECIALIST POLICE SQUAD IN HUGE DRUGS BLITZ

ALMOST a quarter of a million pounds worth of drugs have been taken off the streets of Nuneaton and Bedworth in just 12 months by squad of specialist cops.

The £220,000 haul seized by the Offender Management Unit (OMU) includes more than £61,000 in class A drugs including cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin.

Tireless work of members of the OMU team has also led to 19 people being convicted for a variety of drug offences, seven of which have been sent to prison for a total of 25 years.

This figure is only set to rise as the team’s work to crack down on drug crime continues and a number of suspects remain under investigation or are awaiting court appearances.

Detective Sergeant Chris Cook said: “The work of the OMU is just one part of Warwickshire Police’s efforts to tackle the supply and use of drugs in the county. We work very closely with our colleagues in the safer neighbourhood teams, patrol teams and CID to make Warwickshire as hostile as possible for people who want to take and deal in drugs. “Drug abuse has a huge impact on the local community so it is important that we all play our part in tackling the problem. The public have a key role to play in this; information they provide helps police to build up a picture of issues affecting our communities. “Taking drugs off the street is only half the battle. It is important that we work with partners to support people with drug addictions. By doing this we can reduce the demand for drugs and make the area less attractive for drug dealers.” Based at Nuneaton Police Station, OMU are tasked with keeping watch over prolific offenders across the borough and Atherstone, including drug dealers, burglars, ‘high risk’ domestic abusers and sex offenders. “It’s a sad fact that a small number of people can bring so much disruption to a community,” DS Cooke added. We identify prolific and highrisk offenders in the area and put a range of measures in place to disrupt them, prevent them offending and in some cases help them to change their ways.” Anyone who has any concerns about the use or supply of drugs in their community should call 101 or the Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Drug abuse has a huge impact on the local community so it is important that we all play our part in tackling the problem.