Last updated at 13:38, Monday, 12 November 2012

POLICE officers have arrested 23 people and seized drugs worth £25,000 in a West Cumbrian blitz on street-level users and dealers.

Officers in West Cumbria confiscated cannabis and amphetamine after stopping and searching suspects or carrying out house raids in a crackdown spanning more than a month.

The police squad covering Copeland say they acted following concerns from residents about drugs crime.

The operation has targeted street-level users and dealers whose impact is said to stretch beyond the criminal underworld to hit families touched by crimes associated with drugs, such as stealing from cars and house burglaries.

Seven house raids have been carried out in total, with police targeting properties in Whitehaven, Egremont and Cleator Moor.

Operation Laddock was launched at the beginning of October.

Residents at community meetings and taking part in online forums had named drugs as the top priority police should be tackling.

Sergeant Jim Lloyd, leading the operation, said: “Over the past month this operation will have disrupted the activity of people involved with drugs in Copeland.

“We are serious about ridding our streets of illegal substances and will continue to use all available methods to target the people involved in the misuse of drugs.”

Recent raids include:

• The execution of a search warrant at Sneckyeat Grove, Hensingham, Whitehaven, on November 2. A man was charged with possessing drugs with intent to supply.
• Police swoops on October 27 at High Road and Snaefell Terrace, Whitehaven. In total, four people were arrested and later bailed.

The 23 people arrested during the operation as a whole were held for either alleged drugs possession or on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Six people were either charged or cautioned following their arrest, while the others were released on police bail while investigations continue.

Officers have warned that the operation will be continuing.

First published at 13:30, Monday, 12 November 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk