Operation Scorpion week of action sees cash, suspected drugs and weapons removed from the streets

Once again Operation Scorpion has demonstrated the power of partnership working in driving drugs out of our communities. The operation has resulted in more suspected drug dealers facing consequences, more suspected illegal drugs taken off the streets, more knives and dangerous weapons confiscated, more vulnerable people safeguarded and our residents and communities being safer.

My thanks go to all the officers, staff and volunteers involved in bringing together yet another successful Operation Scorpion and I look forward to continuing to work with our neighbouring forces to make it clear that the South West is no place for drugs.

I’d like to invite you to read on and find out more about how Op Scorpion has been making an impact on drug crime right across the South West.

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner

 

Dorset Police has taken part in a regional week of action which has resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of cash, suspected drugs, weapons and mobile phones.

Teams from across the Force carried out proactive enforcement against those with suspected links to drugs offences, carrying out 23 arrests.

During the week of action, officers in Dorset seized over £7,000 worth of suspected class A drugs and a large quantity of suspected class B drugs, over £8,000 in cash suspected to be linked to criminality, eight mobile phones suspected to be involved in co-ordinating drug deals and two knives.

In addition, officers carried out 15 safe and well checks on vulnerable people who may be susceptible to cuckooing, nine stop and accounts and 41 stop and searches.

This was part of a wider operation, working with colleagues across the South West to make the area a hostile place for those involved in drug criminality.

Some notable activity from the week included the identification and arrest of a man in Dorset who was believed to be operating a county line between Liverpool and Weymouth, actively supplying class A drugs. He was found in possession of suspected class A drugs, cash and mobile phones believed to be being used to facilitate dealing.

In Bournemouth a man believed to be linked to a county line operating between London and Bournemouth was observed at an address where officers have suspected the occupants had been cuckooed. The man was arrested and 20 wraps of suspected class A drugs – believed to be heroin and crack cocaine – were recovered. The occupants at the address have now been safeguarded.

Also in Bournemouth, a vehicle linked to a suspected county line was stopped and the male driver tried to escape officers by running from the car. Officers chased him on foot and he was subsequently arrested after being found in possession of 24 wraps of suspected crack cocaine. A woman was also arrested from the vehicle believed to be in possession of drugs and cash. A five-year-old child who was also in the vehicle at the time is now under the care of social services. A subsequent search of the man and woman’s home in Poole located a further significant amount of suspected class A drugs, believed to be heroin and crack cocaine that was being prepared for supply as well as a significant amount of cash.

Assistant Chief Constable, Rachel Farrell of Dorset Police, said: “We regularly undertake work to disrupt those who try to sell drugs in Dorset, as well as those who visit us through county lines – bringing drugs from more urban areas of the country to our county.

“We know that drugs can have a huge impact on our communities and children can often be exploited as part of this process, which is simply not acceptable and something we’re determined to tackle.

“I am proud of the hard work displayed by our dedicated officers, staff and volunteers throughout this week of action. This has involved team members from neighbourhood policing, intelligence, our Force support group, neighbourhood enforcement teams, CID, forensics and the firearms unit, working together collaboratively to protect vulnerable members of the community and tackle suspected criminality that has a huge impact on the residents and visitors of Dorset.   

“Enforcement operations of this nature send a clear message to suspected criminals looking to use Dorset that it won’t be tolerated, and they should consider this a hostile place for their activities.”

If you have concerns about drug use or county lines in your area you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or visit the Dorset Police website: www.dorset.police.uk – always call 999 if a crime is in progress.