First ‘Spice’ raid takes £5,000 haul off streets
THOUSANDS of pounds worth of ‘Spice’ has been taken off the streets after a police drugs bust in Rochdale.
Officers seized more than a kilogram of the herbal smoking mixture – which has a street value of at least £5,000 – after executing what was the first Psychoactive Substance Act (2016) warrant in the town on Friday morning.
Three men aged 29, 23, and 22, and a 19-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of possession of a psychoactive substance with intention to supply and they remain in police custody.
Raids took place at two properties in the Spotland area and Spice, along with drugs paraphernalia, were recovered.
The searches were obtained under the Psychoactive Substance Act 2016 which means anyone in possession of ‘Spice’ could be hit with fines and face up to five years in prison.
Previously, it was only illegal to deal the drug and now officers are able to stop, search and arrest people on suspicion of carrying the substance.
Sergeant Daniel Shirazi, from GMP’s Rochdale borough and who led the operation, said: “This warrant is part of an on-going campaign to clampdown on the supply of ‘Spice’ - a highly addictive and extremely dangerous drug which is often used by the most vulnerable people in our community.
“This is truly a terrible drug with the police experiencing first-hand the dangers of it and its impact on the community.
“We are committed to tackling the issue and as well as enforcement action, we work with the community and partner agencies, to carry out intelligence-led operations.
“We also aim to help people using ‘Spice’ get the support that they need.”
Earlier this month, our sister paper the M.E.N revealed horrifying footage showing how a new strain of the drug Spice is turning Manchester’s homeless people into ‘the walking dead’.
It appears to ‘freeze’ those who smoke it leaving them standing or squatting like statues.
In some cases they then keel over onto their faces.
Over the last few weeks there has been a surge in emergency ambulance call outs to people in the city centre who have ‘frozen’ and then collapsed after taking Spice.
Anyone with information about the sale of drugs can contact police on 101.
Alternatively, call Crime stoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.