Blackpool's biggest anti-drugs and crime operation (From Blackpool Citizen)

Blackpool's biggest anti-drugs and crime operation

8:55am Wednesday 18th April 2007

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A series of dawn raids targeting drug dealers has led to 38 people being arrested during Blackpool's biggest ever anti-drugs and crime operation.

Police carried out raids on numerous properties, in what Lancashire's top cop described as a "crackdown on the peddlers of misery".

In a week of raids, teams of officers targeted 28 properties in Blackpool, one in Thornton and one in St Annes, seizing drugs, cash and stolen property.

The county-wide Protecting People operation kicked off on Wednesday April 11 with a series of drugs raids in Blackpool.

The Citizen, together with other media in the county, was not allowed to report on the raids until today for operational reasons.

It was the force's largest ever such operation and out of the total 38 arrested, 28 people have now been charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs including heroin and crack cocaine.

Significant amounts of amphetamine and ecstasy were also recovered in the raids, which were aided by Blackpool's drugs and cash search dog, an English springer spaniel named Stanley.

The raids were the result of months of evidence gathering and planning and involved specialist officers from across the county.

To coincide with the Blackpool operation, a series of other arrests have been carried out across Lancashire in the past week.

So far 106 people have been arrested on suspicion of a wide range of serious criminal offences including the significant theft of and handling of stolen goods and the discovery of a massive 1,000 plant cannabis factory' in the swimming pool of a property in Preston.

Police claim the crackdown has been made possible by the extra funding they received due to increases in council tax this year.

Lancashire Constabulary's newly appointed chief constable, Steve Finnigan, joined officers in a raid in Eaves Street, Blackpool, at 8am yesterday. A Citizen reporter and photographer were also present at the raid.

Mr Finnigan said: "Today has seen the culmination of a crackdown on criminality which has been made possible due to the extra funding we have received this year.

"It is really important to us that the people of Blackpool see where their extra money is going and what sort of positive effect that will have on their lives.

"This operational activity is not a short-term measure or a quick fix. It is the start of a more sustained period of enforcement that has been made possible, in part, as a result of this additional funding.

"The constabulary is now in a better position to tackle local neighbourhood issues, as well as directing resources into protecting people on a wider scale including serious and organised crime, high risk offenders and terrorism."

Stephen Lonsdale, a neighbourhood watch leader from the Cocker Street area, was invited to observe the Eaves Street raid.

He said: "Dealing drugs in this area is widespread and seems to come in cycles. Once it gets a grip it has a massive negative effect on the whole area.

"We all want the resort to do well, and kicking out these people can only improve things."

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