Police raid Kettering homes as part of Op Viper

Police raided four addresses in Kettering and Burton Latimer today.

Officers from Northamptonshire Police’s Proactive Team carried out the searches this morning (Wednesday) as part of Op Viper.

After an early morning briefing on police intelligence a team of about 10 officers visited an address in Woodlands Court, Wood Street, Kettering, just after 8am.

They broke down the door but nobody was home and they searched the property meticulously for signs of illegal drugs.

They looked high and low searching through food packets, behind white goods in the kitchen and even in holes in the wall.

Sniffer dog Norman, a cocker spaniel, also searched the property but no drugs were found and some officers were left at the scene while the home was secured.

The rest of the team moved on to a property in Crown Street at about 9.30am and again used force to gain entry.

Thorough searches of items such as bags and cupboards were conducted.

Two men and a woman were detained after cannabis was found, as well as a baseball bat.

One of the men was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.

Further raids were carried out by a separate team in London Road and Alexandra Street in Burton Latimer.

In total three people were arrested with drugs, cash, a knife and a BB gun seized.

Speaking after the Crown Street raid, Chief Inspector Julie Mead said: “We have carried out a series of raids as part of Op Viper this summer.

“People involved in drugs and violence are travelling here from Birmingham and London and infiltrating our towns.

“Birmingham and London are saturated and they are taking over flats occupied by vulnerable people.

“They want to make money by selling their merchandise and it’s an astute business model.

“They want to groom young people to use their flats but we’re not going to let that happen.”

Ch Insp Mead added that the force has been working with a number of organisations and councils as part of the operation.

Further raids will take place across the coming weeks and months and Ch Insp Mead warned those involved in serious crime they could be next.

She said: “We are not going to stop.

“We are going to continue to do this and get those responsible.”