Drugs dealers, we are coming for you
Stirling Area Commander, Chief Inspector Lynn Ratcliff, tells of further police success in the fight against drug dealing.
As you may have read recently in the Observer, local officers continue to take action to tackle drug dealers.
During the last two months, officers have seized over £60,000 of cocaine and heroin and £20,000 in cash. In addition, over the last four weeks, officers in Stirling have sent to the Procurator Fiscal over 30 reports about persons possessing drugs – that’s roughly one person reported per day. Over the last two weeks, local officers have been supported by colleagues from a national unit within Police Scotland, the Safer Communities Preventions Task Force.
Officers from the Task force have been deployed in the city centre in plain clothes and have targeted drugs and antisocial behaviour offences.
To date, during the two-week period, 50 persons have been arrested or reported for a number of offences including supplying drugs (heroin), being in possession of drugs (heroin and cannabis) and various disorder offences, many of which involved alcohol.
In the coming weeks, we will maintain our focus on those individuals and groups who are dealing drugs so, if you suspect anyone of dealing drugs I would urge you to get in touch with Police Scotland on 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 111 555.
In addition to enforcing the law, Police Scotland also provides information and advice to people who are involved in drug misuse.
We do this primarily by working with dedicated, skilled partners so when officers come into contact with or arrest persons who are in possession of drugs, they will give them details of local services and organisations which are able to provide a whole range of services to support their recovery.
We are also able to make referrals to these organisations however, this is always done with the consent of the person concerned.
By working with organisations such as Signpost Recovery, and Forth Valley Recovery Community, we hope to reduce the negative impact of drugs across the entire community by supporting people to make the first step on their recovery by getting in touch with an organisation or group who can provide the help they need.
If you or someone you know needs information on organisations who can offer assistance to someone affected by drug misuse, further details are available on the Police Scotland website, or at your local police office.