Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Police arrest 126 and find missing children in raids
THREE missing children have been found and dozens of vulnerable adults have got their homes back after a police operation to tackle drug crime.
Operation Scorpion took place between Monday, March 4, and Sunday, March 10, and involved five police forces across the region.
It led to 126 arrests; 135 vulnerable people safeguarded; over £814,000 worth of drugs, more than £95,000 cash and 67 weapons seized; over 200 weapons surrendered by the public.
Also taken by officers were a Samurai sword and a set of nunchucks, a fearsome weapon made up of two sticks attached by a chain.
Detectives seized a car as well as designer jewellery and clothing, believed to be the proceeds of crime.
The missing children were being exploited to run drugs as part of County Lines narcotics gangs operating across the South West.
Found in Wiltshire, they have been safely returned to their counties of origin.
Operation Scorpion involved Avon and Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and Gloucestershire Constabularies, alongside their Offices of Police and Crime Commissioners, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) and the charity Crimestoppers.
This is the seventh phase of Scorpion which aims to combine police resources to create a “ring of steel” across the South West, making it a dangerous environment for drugs and criminal gangs.
Neil Corrigan, Assistant Chief Constable of Dorset Police, representing the five forces said: “This was a large operation involving both uniform and plain clothes officers across the region to disrupt drug activity and support local communities.
“The activity carried out as part of Operation Scorpion was centred on the intelligence and information received from local communities about individuals involved in drug supply.
“Using information reported to police and Crimestoppers, forces were able to build up a picture of what illegal activity was happening and use the intelligence to inform how and where we would target our operational activity.
“I would like to thank the public for the information they have provided and reinforce the importance of community intelligence to the success of operations like this. Please continue to contact us with information and report any concerns you may have, whether in relation to drug activity, vulnerable people being exploited or any other suspicious activity and help us make the South West a hostile environment for drugs.”
Report any concerns... and help us make the South West a hostile environment for drugs ACC NEIL CORRIGAN
Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford said: “It was a privilege to go out and watch our brave police in action, putting themselves in harm’s way to apprehend people who make our communities less safe. That this was part of a coordinated week of action across the South West demonstrates our commitment to making the South West a hostile environment for illegal drug use and exploitation.”