Seizures of drugs by region’s police hit 12-year low

THE NUMBER of drugs seizures across the region has hit a 12-year low, Home Office statistics show.

Police forces in Yorkshire and the Humber seized illegal drugs 11,348 times in the year to March, a fall of seven per cent compared to the previous year.

Drugs seized included more than 32,000 cannabis plants, 11kg of cocaine, 15kg of Ecstasy and 9kg of heroin.

Nationally, there was a two per cent fall in the number of seizures in 2017/18, with the Home Office saying the long-term downward trend was mainly due to the nearhalving of cannabis seizures in the past nine years.

The regional police force with the largest fall in the number of seizures was Humberside Police. There, drugs seizures have fallen by nearly a quarter (24 per cent) in the past year.

West Yorkshire was the region’s only force area to see the number of seizures rise, by seven per cent.

Humberside Police said it was committed to tackling the drugs trade and often worked on operations to target ringleaders.

Detective Chief Inspector Doug Blackwood said: “The supply and misuse of drugs – and the resulting anti-social and criminal behaviour – is a serious issue in towns and cities across the UK and our area is no exception.

“We know the serious harm it causes – often to the most vulnerable in our communities – and we are committed to tackling this and prosecuting anyone involved in the trade.

“We have a really good understanding of organised crime groups, which are often behind the supply chain, and work closely with our neighbouring forces and National Crime Agency to share vital information and intelligence.

“And it’s these organised groups and suppliers who we target in the vast majority of the drugs warrants we carry out.”

Det Chief Insp Blackwood urged the public to keep contacting them with tip-offs.

He said: “Even if you don’t see any immediate action, that doesn’t mean that we’re ignoring what you have told us.

“What we’re often doing is using this information to put together successful operations to tackle and prosecute the ringleaders in drug related-crime and bring offenders to justice.”