Drug use and supply targeted in crackdown
In the second part of our report on drug issues in the town, CHRISTIE BANNON looks at how Dyfed-Powys Police is fighting back in order to safeguard Llanelli’s communities
THE issue of drug use and supply in Llanelli is an ongoing one which Dyfed-Powys Police are continuing to target in order to safeguard our communities.
Superintendent Gary Mills said there was evidence that the availability and supply of heroin was significantly reduced following a police crackdown called Operation Ulysses.
However, at a public meeting earlier this month Seaside residents raised concerns about their community where it is claimed that “people are living in fear”.
And a Llanelli town councillor claimed Morfa, New Dock, Tyisha and Penyfan were also problem areas for drug issues.
Superintendent Mills said: “The fight against drug misuse/ supply is an ongoing matter, which we will continue to target based on the level of information we get from the communities within Llanelli with the view of safeguarding those communities.
“Anecdotal evidence suggests that users are turning to spice due to the unavailability of heroin in Llanelli.
“Over the past few months, Llanelli has seen the emergence of suspects from other parts of the UK travelling to Llanelli to supply drugs as part of the nationwide County Lines issue.
“During that time seven males have been arrested and charged with possession with intent to supply offences, with some having been sentenced already.”
However, Seaside resident Amanda Carter, who organised the public meeting, explained that drug-related issues have been a constant in the area in recent years, but that they have become more frequent within the past two years.
“It’s been going on for so long it seems never-ending,” she said.
“There’s something happening every day and as residents it’s becoming so frightening.
“Last year armed officers arrived with no formal warning while there were children playing in the park. We had the crossbow incident last week where we were trapped in our own homes and questioned if we wanted to leave.
“The community is living in fear because we don’t know what’s going to happen next.
“They are openly drug dealing in the area and people were outside the park last summer taking drugs. Then people were like zombies standing in the middle of the road and cars had to drive passed them as they just spill out onto the road.
“I would say the issues are drug related. We are finding needles in the park – it’s beyond.
“In the past two years it’s got worse and it’s a vicious circle. We’ve had enough.”
These issues don’t seem to be confined to the Seaside area, with Morfa, New Dock, Tyisha and Penyfan all being identified as problem areas, according to Llanelli town councillor Sean Rees.
Mr Rees was also at the public meeting where he said you could “see the fear in people’s eyes”.
He said at the meeting: “People should not have to feel like they are living in fear of what is about to happen next.
“The increase in groups that are gathering down in this area engaging in drugs and having a pure intent of causing antisocial issues is very worrying.
“The growth of the County Lines networks where drugs are being moved from bigger cities like Birmingham into our smaller communities presents just the latest challenge in a series of problems for our police.
“I think it is only when you actually live in our community that we know of the challenges we face.
“All of us see it every single day, in our streets, our back lanes, our parks and playgrounds and our other community facilities.”
Mr Rees believes that there is a link between the increase in drug-related issues with the increase in the number of houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) in the area.
He added: “These issues have been prominent for a number of years and we need to be pulling together.
“They are mainly drug related because we’ve got people coming into our smaller communities from bigger cities in England. We have been the dumping ground for Carmarthenshire with HMOs.
“People want a change so we need to start trying to identify solutions.
“Needles are being found and we’ve had armed police here. It’s been a gradual increase, it’s not something that has happened overnight, but it has been going on for a few years here.
“We went around the room at the meeting and everyone had their own individual story to tell. It was concerning, the level of fear.”
Dyfed-Powys Police recently announced that more 200 frontline workers have been trained in spotting the signs of county lines drug dealing and organised crime gangs.
Social workers, probation officers, health visitors and housing officers were among those who received training in identifying and reporting emerging threats while going about their work.
Chief Inspector Jolene Mann explained that Dyfed-Powys Police was aware of a number of organised crime gangs in Carmarthenshire. The majority of which have either been disrupted and the offenders sentenced, or no current intelligence exists to suggest they are still operating.
She said: “As part of one operation, we identified a Birmingham-based group of males who were supplying heroin and crack cocaine in Llanelli. They were cuckooing vulnerable people’s properties to deal drugs from – this means they were looking for vulnerable people, and effectively taking over their home to deal drugs. At the end of last year, 24 people were arrested and have either been jailed or are awaiting sentence.
“My plea is that you are on high alert for anything unusual or out of place. We need to work together. Connect the dots, submit the intelligence, stop the gangs.”