Drug raid message to Blackpool

[Jason]

SUSPECTED drug dealers were targeted as police used battering rams to enter their properties.
Ten people were arrested as police visited seven addresses across Blackpool in a series of daytime raids.

At one premises targeted by officers a baby had to be taken into care as three people were arrested on suspicion of drug dealing.

The raids came as part of a raft of search warrants under Operation Protecting People – Lancashire Police's county-wide crackdown on organised crime.

Police smashed their way into properties in Whitegate Drive, Leeds Road, Lynne Grove and Gorton Street in Blackpool town centre at around 10am yesterday.

Officers had been tipped off Class A drugs – including heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine – were on the premises.

Later, homes at Banks Street and Caunce Street as well as a flat at Elizabeth Court, Layton, were raided.

Insp Mark Hughes, of Blackpool Police, said: "The message to drug dealers is stay out of Blackpool.

"We are undertaking these warrants to let the community know that we are aware of their concerns and doing something about it.

"These types of activities make them feel very vulnerable and that is what we want to avoid.

Message

"We have brought in around 60 officers to take part in these raids.

"We hope it sends out a clear message we will not put up with drugs in our communities."

At Leeds Road, officers found more than £2,000 cash as well as suspected Class A drugs.

A baby was also taken from the premises and placed with social workers.

In the basement, a officers found what was believed to be cannabis plants growing under lights.

Three people were arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

A further three were arrested at Banks Street, one on suspicion of allowing the property to be used for drug dealing while the other two suspected of possessing Class A drugs.

At Elizabeth Court, two people were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs.

One person was arrested at Whitegate Drive and another at Lynn Grove.

They were yesterday being quizzed by police on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs.

Officers entered the premises after receiving intelligence from the public that drugs could be found at each of the homes.

A sniffer dog was then sent in to assist officers in tracking down any suspicious substances that could be found inside.

Officers told The Gazette they had received information that could lead to more raids.

[Jason]

FOUR people have been charged with drugs offences following a series of raids on houses in Blackpool on Wednesday.
Paul Gormley, 22, and Alexis Dow, 21, were both charged with possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply following a raid at a house on Leeds Road, Blackpool.

James O'Neil, 43, was charged with possession of Class C drugs following a raid on Lynn Grove, Blackpool and was released on police bail.

And a woman, who has not yet been named, was also released on police bail on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs following a raid at a house on Banks Street, Blackpool.

Another man was cautioned after being found in possession of Class A drugs.

Five other people who were arrested have been released without charge.

[Jason]

A CRACK squad of top police officers is being deployed to target the the Fylde's crime lords.
The team will use undercover tactics and target the ill-gotten assets of drug lords and professional robbers in an effort to crack the most serious crimes - including gun violence.

Work for the team of 10 officers will include cracking robbery gangs - like those behind a £60,000 raid in Kirkham in March and a terrifying robbery at Leonard Dew's jewellers in Lytham last October - both of which remain unsolved.

They will also target the people behind drugs farms - seven of which have been unearthed on the Fylde coast in the past year, most recently 1,000 plants at the former Netherton Hotel on Napier Avenue, South Shore, earlier this month.

And Lancashire's top cop, chief constable Steve Finnigan, promised: "We are going to use all the legislation available to us - Al Capone got done for tax evasion."

Mr Finnigan says the team's work is vital to rid the resort's streets of guns and clean-up violence by smashing drug-fuelled crime on the Fylde.

Mr Finnigan said: "There are big issues about violence, enforcing drug debts and turf wars. Some of it around gangs and guns.

"Those are the sort of people we will be getting right in the face of higher level criminals, the Mr Bigs are harming our communities."

The team of CID officers, which began work a fortnight ago, will be specially devoted to cracking crime gangs.

Mr Finnigan added: "It is their job to target people who are operating.
"We are going to disrupt them and take their assets off them.

"While it appears invisible their activities have a cascade effect which harms communities. We will arrest them, charge them and take them to court."

The top-secret officers, who cannot be identified because of their undercover work, are one of six targeted units being set-up in Lancashire.

They are being funded by a 7.95 per cent increase in Lancashire Police's section of resident's council tax bill, which will raise an additional £4.35m.

The cash will also be used to combat terrorism and gather information to tackle crime.

DCI Andy Webster, head of CID at Blackpool police, has appealed for the public's help to bring high-flying crooks to book.

He said: "We will be targeting people who are involved in making a living out of organised crime.

"They will be targeting people who are involved in class A drug, cannabis farms and those involved in organised robberies and burglaries.

"This work started this week with drug warrants. We will be able to get a full picture of people's behaviour.

"The information the community can provide us with is crucial. It will be treated in confidence."

Coun Tony Williams, chairman of community safety partnership Bsafe Blackpool, has welcomed the move.

He said: "Professional criminals are the worst kind of criminals. They cannot be tolerated.

"I'm happy that we move crime out as Blackpool as much as we can. If this have to drive these people out then that is the way to go."