A Nottinghamshire police chief has pledged to keep up the pressure on those peddling drugs after 16 warrants were carried out on his patch within the space of two months.
Since the turn of the year, an equivalent of two warrants every week have been executed at addresses in Broxtowe after tackling and reducing drug dealing was made a local policing priority in the district.
Fighting drug crime is among the three current policing priorities for the area – the others being burglary and road crime.
These priorities were identified in line with community feedback, after police listened to what local residents told them about the issues that matter most to them.
Among the proactive drugs raids to have yielded positive results included a large cannabis grow comprising nearly 300 plants being discovered and dismantled at a three-floor property in Chilwell Road, Beeston, on 1 February 2024. A suspect was located and arrested within the property.
Erjold Qevani, aged 25, of no fixed address, was charged with production of a Class B drug. He was remanded in custody and is next due to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (8 March 2024).
During another warrant, executed at an address in Pine Tree Walk on 2 February, quick-thinking officers arrested a panicked man caught trying to flush drugs down a toilet.
A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug. Officers also seized quantities of white powder, empty deal bags, cash, and scales from the address.
A short time later that day, officers executed a further warrant at a property in Nottingham Road.
Entry was gained by forcing the front door and officers detained a man in one of the bedrooms who was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
During searches of the address, officers seized items including quantities of a white substance, small plastic bags, a laptop, mobile phone, sim card, and paperwork.
A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a Class A drug.
Inspector Mike Ebbins, district commander of Broxtowe, said: “Illegal drug dealing is one of our local crime priorities along with burglary and road crime.
“Focus on these priorities is built into our regular daily business and I’d like to reassure people we will continue our proactive work to tackle issues of concern raised with us.
“We work closely with our partners to develop intelligence and look for opportunities to take action and we will continue to act on information provided to us in order to make our streets safer.
“When it comes to targeting drug supply, our local teams have quickly taken a grip of this issue and they continue to be out there in our communities, acting on intelligence and targeting premises suspected of being used by criminals for the illegal distribution of drugs.
“I hope the positive impact and results we’re achieving reassures the public of our commitment to making our streets safer and that we’re listening to their concerns and taking action to tackle them.”
Detective Sergeant Charlotte Henson, of Beeston CID, added: “Drugs blight our communities and ruin people’s lives which is why we are working tirelessly to target and disrupt offenders involved in their illegal supply.
“We will continue to use every tactic available to us to locate, enforce, and prosecute offenders.
“Warrants will continue to be executed as part of our ongoing work and any drug dealers should be looking over their shoulders as we could be smashing their door down next.
“We rely on information we receive from the public to inform our activity and to help us tackle drug crime. I’d like to thank them for their support and urge people to continue to tell us about any incidents, any suspicious activity, or talk to us regarding any concerns so we can investigate and take appropriate action.
“If you have any concerns or see anything suspicious in your area, please do not hesitate to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
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