Drug offences up by a third in Kettering

Official police figures from September last year to this August show that there has been a 37 per cent rise in drug offences in the Kettering borough compared to the same time last year with 246 drug crimes recorded.

The All Saints area of the town had the most drug offences, with 40 recorded incidents and the Avondale Grange area also saw figures increase drug offences rise by 50 per cent from 16 to 24.

The figures have been revealed two months into Northants Police’s county-wide Operation Viper which is targeting organised crime and gangs activity.

As part of this there have been a number of high profile raids on suspected drug dens.

Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Darron Bishop said: “We take drug dealing and drug-related offences very seriously in Kettering and over the past two months we have made nearly 50 arrests and executed a number of days of action in the town as part of Operation Viper – the force’s response to serious and organised crime.

“Over the past year we have really ramped up our enforcement in this area which could explain why the figures have risen and we have a lot more work planned in the year ahead.

“We are determined to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour associated with drug dealing and I expect to see much more success over the coming months in Kettering with Operation Viper taking more drug dealers and those responsible for crime in the area off our streets.”

The news follows a recent petition by 50 residents in the Field Street, Dryland Street and Rockingham Close part of the town calling on a more visible police presence in the area because of fears over drug activity and anti-social behaviour.

Of the 246 drug offences committed over the past 12 months, 171 have been resolved.