Three arrests made in drugs raids

Laura Bagshaw

POLICE in Great Yarmouth launched a crackdown on drugs in the town today raiding about a dozen properties.

A team of about 30 officers swooped on homes across south Yarmouth throughout the day in an operation to curb an increasing supply of drugs in the town.

By about midday three people had been arrested for a variety of offences - mainly possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Led by Det Insp Stuart Armes, Operation Colorado kicked off yesterday morning at around 8am when officers were briefed at Yarmouth police station.

Det Insp Armes said that police had seen a “slight” increase in the supply of Class A drugs in south Yarmouth and that these raids would show drug dealers and users that police mean business.

Tactical teams from Yarmouth, Norwich, King's Lynn and North Walsham raided homes in Gordon Terrace, Middle Market Road, Barkis Road and Ordnance Road in Yarmouth.

Just after 8.30am a team moves in on a house at Gordon Terrace after receiving intelligence from the local community.

Officers rush to the property, smash in the door, and invade the home.

On the outside it looks like any other terrace property in Yarmouth but behind closed doors it is a professional cannabis factory. No one is inside the house and police suspect the dealers could have moved on, when they find hundreds of harvested plant pots upstairs.

Officers found about 200 cannabis seedlings in cases and thousands of pounds worth of cultivating equipment. The home had been transformed, with dozens of heat lamps powered by illegally tapping into the electricity supply. Police also found a door which had been taken off its hinges and wired - possibly to set a trap for unwanted guests.

Hundreds of cannabis plants had been harvested at the property and officers believe the street value would be more than £50,000.

Crime scene investigators are quickly on scene to collect finger prints and DNA which could give police leads to finding the culprits. EDF Energy was called to make to electrics safe and police were going to catch up with the landlord of the rented property.

Just after 10am a team raided a house on Barkis Road in Yarmouth after police received information that cannabis was being dealt from the property.

As officers approached the terraced home a woman was standing on the doorstep. She moved aside as officers entered the property explaining they had a warrant to search the property.

The home was entered by five officers who began a fingertip search - rummaging through wardrobes, drawers and down the back of sofas and chairs. A sniffer dog was let loose and found a small amount of cannabis. Officers also found some in a tub in one of the bedrooms.

About six properties had been raided by midday yesterday and officers were due to carry out about half a dozen in the afternoon.

Two people were arrested for possession of cannabis with intent to supply and another person was arrested for obstructing a police officer. Two people received street cautions.

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) carried out door knocking in areas which had been targeted by police - explaining what had happened and building bridges with communities.

Det Insp Armes said: “We monitor drugs very closely in the town and we have seen a slight increase in activity in the drugs market. It's nothing major but enough for us to take notice of and because we keep a tight grip on the situation it is easy for us to notice a slight surge.”

He said the aim of the operation acted as a warning to drug dealers and users that police would hunt them down and prosecute adding this was just the first in a series of operations in a continuing programme to combat drugs.

“We want these people to think about what they are doing and we also want to show that we respect communities and act on what they tell us. If we receive information we will act on it. If people have committed serious crimes they will be locked up,” he said.

To contact police call 0845 4564567.