WAR ON DRUGS A SUCCESS

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WAR ON DRUGS A SUCCESS


MERSEYSIDE police seized more than 11kg of cocaine in four weeks as part of a blitz on drug dealers.


Operation Crackdown also saw 2.75kg of heroin and 461 assorted wraps of crack cocaine and heroin seized during January.


A crack house was closed down in St Helens and assets worth almost UKP80,000 were taken from criminals.


There were 55 arrests and 10 people charged with supply of classA drugs. In the first 28 days of a three-month blitz, the police also netted eight firearms, two replica firearms, 73 rounds of ammunition and two smoke grenades.


The offensive continued this month, with a drugs den closed by police aftera swoop in Huyton.


Operation Crackdown involves forces across the country and is being jointly run by the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers.


But the force said the seizures represented only a fraction of their long-term war on drug crime.


A spokeswoman said: "Last year alone our officers seized Class A drugs with a street value of UKP24m and 4,108 people were charged with drug offences.


"The force has already closed down eight properties in connection with the unlawful use, production and supply of class A drugs.


"Residents of Merseyside should be assured that our commitment to tackle the scourge of drugs will continue."


Nationwide 42 crack houses were closed and 20kgs of cocaine taken off the streets.


Police also seized 17kgs of heroin, 1.5kgs of crack cocaine, 16,000 ecstasy tablets, 157 firearms, and more than UKP920,000 in criminal cash assets.


There were 963 arrests and 413 people were charged with the supply of class A drugs.


Home Office minister Caroline Flint said: " Police forces are working hard to combat the drug problem and communities have been rewarded with more arrests and less guns and drugs on the streets."