POLICE RAIDS END NIGHTMARE OF KIDS SEEING QUEUES OF DRUG USERS
RESIDENTS JUBILANT AFTER LATEST OPERATION GALAXY CRACKDOWN WITH 30 SUSPECTS ARRESTED
POLICE raids have put an end to children witnessing queues of up to 40 drug users gathering at a house in Cleethorpes. Residents in Lovett Street, Cleethorpes, and in Victor Street in Grimsby were jubilant as drug dealing in their neighbourhoods ended with six arrests. Humberside Police battered in the doors in raids which netted drugs, cash and weapons.
In a series of raids throughout Humberside yesterday a total of 30 suspects were arrested.
In addition to the arrests, 39 cannabis plants were discovered with an approximate street value of around £30,000, along with two imitation firearms, two swords and other offensive weapons including a Taser. Drug dealing paraphernalia was located and seized, over £2,000 in cash discovered and a quantity of mobile phones that will now be analysed.
Among the first doors to go in was that on a terraced property in Victor Street, in Grimsby where drug dealing had resumed “within days” after a previous raid in June. Chief Superintendent Darren Downs said organised crime groups regularly use the same properties, but force different occupants to sell drugs.
The practice known as “cuckooing” will continue to be outlawed, said Chief Superintendent Downs, leading the latest Operation Galaxy crackdown on drug dealing. Prior to the raid on Victor Street, Sergeant Craig Purdham said people arrested in June had returned to dealing in drugs within days.
Four people were arrested at the property and a number of items were seized. One resident said: “I usually take my boy to school and then get to work. I am pleased to see the police making the area safer.” In Lovett Street one resident had up to 100 signatures for a petition to Humberside Police calling for an address to be shut down.
A neighbour said: “One lunchtime a removals van turned up and within minutes there were 40 people round at the address buying drugs from the window. They were queuing up one after the other. “I have had addicts scrapping over one needle outside my front garden because they didn’t want to share. We have been burgled and this cannot go on.” The petition organiser said: “It is unreal. You get them turning up at all hours, on pushbikes, in cars or taxis. It has been going on for two years. It has been raided before. I have lived here since 1980 and it has never been this bad. I hope this is the last of it. “It is awful for the kids to see. They come running in and tell me they have seen drug dealing. They all know what goes on there and these are kids as young as five years old.”
Sergeant Bullock said his officers faced a barricade at the door of the Lovett Street house. But the sofa, wedged behind the door, was quickly removed, along with the front door.
A man and a woman were arrested at the scene.
“We don’t want any of our children to see drug dealing. We want information from the public so we can target addresses so they don’t have to see that,” said Chief Superintendent Downs.
He highlighted the success of the latest Operation Galaxy tactics launched in May, which led to more than 200 people being charged with offences. “However, we also wanted to really make an impact and deliver a clear message across the entire Force area, with a day of intensive and comprehensive action simultaneously taking place throughout our counties, to highlight clearly to anyone involved in criminality that they will not be able to operate in our area, and that concentrated action has now taken place,” he said.
I have lived here since 1980 and it has never been this bad. I hope this is the last of it.
Petition organiser
He added: “We have been unrelenting in our pursuit of targeting those who bring misery and distress to our communities and the results we have seen support our efforts to tackle all types of criminality in our area. “Additional high visibility patrols have also been conducted throughout the summer months in hot spot areas where we know criminality can occur, with over 2,000 stop searches being carried out and action taking place to locate and arrest outstanding suspects.
“Many of the cases are currently going through the criminal justice system and court process after suspects have been arrested and charged, but the work undertaken by the teams involved in Op Galaxy has been exemplary with commitment and dedication from every single person involved, either frontline or behind the scenes.
“We are taking control of our streets and roads, making the lives of criminals and predators difficult and uncomfortable. We are a Force on the front foot and we determined and committed in tackling criminality across the Humberside Force area, to ensure you feel safe and protected, as that will always be our main priority.”