Dorset Police works with communities to make Dorset #NoPlaceForDrugs
Phase six of Operation Scorpion coincided with a national County Lines Intensification Week, which ran from Monday 9 October to Sunday 15 October 2023 and saw forces clamp down on county lines activity through various operational activities, such as warrant executions, educational inputs into schools and safeguarding vulnerable people.
A collaboration between police forces in Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, Avon & Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, their respective Police and Crime Commissioners, British Transport Police, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SW ROCU) and the charity Crimestoppers, Operation Scorpion focuses on pooling resources to combat drug supply in the region to make the South West a hostile environment for drugs.
The public plays an important role in helping police forces to build an intelligence picture and throughout the week our communities were asked to report intelligence linked to drugs activity – no matter how big or small. Using the intelligence provided, Dorset Police carried out enforcement activities, disrupting those who are profiting from the damage and harm that drugs bring to our communities.
As a result of community intelligence and operational focus, county lines were disrupted, vulnerable people safeguarded, and educational support was provided to young people and families.
The clampdown led to:
- 26 arrests
- Five people charged
- Over £93,000 worth of drugs seized
- £1,300 cash seized
- 17 mobile phones seized
- Two weapons seized
- Three vulnerable adults safeguarded
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan said: “Once again, Operational Scorpion has seen all five police forces from the South West join together to send a clear message to organised criminals and those who cause harm in our communities that there is no place for them in our region.
“I would like to thank our public for the intelligence they continue to provide us. We rely on this information to help provide us with a picture of what is taking place. Thanks to information we have received from members of the public, we have been able to disrupt organised criminal gangs, remove drugs from the streets of Dorset and safeguard members of the public.
“Please remember, if you see something that doesn’t seem right or doesn’t feel right, tell us. Your information could be the missing piece of the puzzle.
“We will continue to execute warrants and target organised gangs to make our county a hostile place for criminals, while protecting our communities and those individuals who need our help the most.”
Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: “Once again the hard work and investigative skills of Dorset Police, the regional forces and partners involved in Operation Scorpion has yielded some truly impressive results.
“In Dorset, in a week of intensive policing, there have been 26 drug-related arrests, over £93,000 worth of illegal drugs seized and the profits and paraphernalia of drug dealing, including cash and weapons have been taken off our streets.
“There have been some 17 mobile phones seized in Dorset, and it is my fervent hope that those phones contain valuable information on dealers, on active county lines and hopefully, details of those who are much higher up the chain of supply – because I want to put a stop the misery they peddle and put pay to the life-destroying trade that they want to see flourish in on our communities.
“The results from across the region have magnified and multiplied the action taken here in our county, with thousands and thousands of pounds worth of drugs being taken off the streets, almost 100 arrests being made, cars and laptops being seized as well as a significant number of people being safeguarded. All this action is happening to make our region and our county a safer place to be – so my thanks go to everyone involved in Operation Scorpion for taking the fight to the criminals and making sure they know our region is ‘No Place For Drugs’.”
If you have concerns about drug use or county lines in your area you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or go to our website www.dorset.police.uk – always call 999 if a crime is in progress.
