OFFICERS spearheading Rugby’s crackdown on county lines drug gangs arrested 11 people and seized thousands of pounds in drugs and cash during June and July.
The Rugby Offender Management Unit has been targeting prolific offenders to tackle gangs which transport drugs from bigger cities into smaller towns.
Among the recent arrests were a 26-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of drugs and fraud, after officers spotted suspicious activity in Edward Street on June 6. They seized £5,000 in cash and counterfeit cash.
Another suspect – a 21-year-old Rugby man – hid on top of a shed at a property in Claremont Road on June 10 and fled the scene. He was later caught with cannabis and arrested on suspicion of possession of class A and class B drugs with intent to supply.
And when officers spotted a suspected drug deal taking place in Ashlawn Road on July 9, a 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply. A search of a property in Lever Road led to the seizure of class A drugs and cash.
All of the people arrested were either released on bail or released under investigation while enquiries continue.
DS Heidi Twynham said this was day-to-day business for the offender management unit.
She said: “Thanks to intelligence and information provided by the public, we get a good idea who is bringing drugs into the county. We know the cars they use and houses they deal from.
“On a daily basis we are out on the streets being proactive in developing this intelligence and ensuring we have enough evidence to make arrests and bring offenders to justice.
“You may not always notice us, but we are out there in hot spot areas tackling serious and persistent offenders.”
Drug-related offences in Warwickshire dropped by 14 per cent in 2018 when the county’s police force began the crackdown on county lines gangs.
Anyone with concerns about drug dealing is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
