Police charge 16 after a dozen raids and 41 stop-and-searches during week-long drugs crackdown across Northamptonshire

Guns, knives and phones seized as officers “send a message” to dealers
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Police charged 16 people during a week-long drugs crackdown in Northamptonshire.

Officers carried out 12 raids and 41 stop-and-searches as part of the operation, the first of 12 weeks of action targeting issues highlighted in the force’s Matter of Priority campaign.

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Among the seizures were four firearms, five knives, 31 mobile phones and quantities of drugs and cash.

Police charged 16 people after 12 drugs raids and 41 stop-and-searches during a week-long crackdown in Northamptonshire.Police charged 16 people after 12 drugs raids and 41 stop-and-searches during a week-long crackdown in Northamptonshire.
Police charged 16 people after 12 drugs raids and 41 stop-and-searches during a week-long crackdown in Northamptonshire.

As well as the enforcement side of things, prevention work also took place including nine school visits while members of the county’s Emergency Services’ Cadets delivered 2,720 leaflets.

Northamptonshire Police described the results as “fantastic”.

Chief Inspector Nathan Murray said: “We hope our work sends a message to those thinking of exploiting vulnerable people and dealing drugs in this county that their behaviour will not be tolerated.”

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During the seven-day period, 12 warrants were executed across the county, 50 arrests were made, 16 charges were secured, and 41 stop searches took place.

This enforcement activity led to a number of seizures including four firearms, five knives, 31 mobile phones and a large quantity of drugs and cash.

In May, Chief Constable Nick Adderley announced the four crime types that his force would focus on over the next three years: violence against women and girls, drug harm, serious and organised crime and serious violence.

Last week saw the launch of a ‘surge’ aimed at tackling the highlighted areas week-by-week. A second week focused on violence against women and girls kicked off on Monday (July 11).

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As well as the enforcement side of things, prevention work also took place including nine school visits, 2,720 leaflets delivered by the Northamptonshire Emergency Services’ Cadets, and 95 intelligence reports submitted.

An operation against ‘cuckooing’ also took place, involving visits to vulnerable people’s homes suspected of having been taken over by drug dealers. A number of people were safeguarded and dealers arrested.

CI Murray added: “It was really important to me to focus just as much on prevention and safeguarding as on enforcement.

“Tackling drugs requires a holistic approach and this is something that, as a force, we are going to continue focusing on.”