Operation Scorpion

Tackling drug-related crime, rooting out dealers and disrupting supplies of drugs onto Wiltshire’s streets has been the direct result of a regional, co-ordinated, campaign led by the south west region’s Police and Crime Commissioners. 

The five PCCs from

• Wiltshire
• Devon and Cornwall
• Dorset
• Gloucestershire
• Avon and Somerset

agreed with their respective Chief Constables their Forces would combine operational powers to tackle cross border drugs supply, drug-related crime and associated anti-social behaviour (ASB).

This is the first time in the UK that five PCCs, and their respective Forces, have joined together to target drug-related crime by setting aside regional boundaries.

Operation Scorpion, which took place in March and more recently in July, harnessed collective powers to disrupt drug crime in the south west by dismantling drugs supply networks, and arresting those who profit from them, and meant criminals will be under no illusion the south west is #NoPlaceForDrugs.

Wiltshire PCC Philip Wilkinson has always been clear that drug crime isn’t just a problem for urban police forces. Since taking office, he has been listening to concerns and visited several communities where drug crime, and related anti-social behaviour, blights daily lives.

The results

In March 2022, targeting drug dealers across the South West

• Recovered more than £400,000 worth of drugs
• Arrested 194 people
• Seized weapons, money and vehicles
• Safeguarded 320 vulnerable people

In July 2022 the outcomes of 55 warrants being executed in the region were

• 127 people arrested
• Drugs with an estimated street value of £630k
• £180k in cash and a vast array of weapons seized
• 237 children and vulnerable adults safeguarded

Following a series of raids in Wiltshire

• Disruptions to 76 drug lines
• 40 arrests were made resulting in 16 charges and two convictions so far
• 17 children and vulnerable adults were safeguarded
• Knives, knuckledusters and air guns were seized
• When a car was stopped on the A350, £2,000 cash and 150 wraps of Class A drugs were seized

In April 2023 officers executed eight warrants in Swindon and Salisbury

• Officers from the Force’s Fortitude Teams conducted an ANPR operation, stopping 18 people.

• In total, 14 arrests were made for drug and violence related offences, with four people remanded in custody.  

• Cocaine worth £9,150, cannabis worth £1,150, £1,500 in cash
• 10 vehicles were seized.
• Officers also seized three machetes, three crossbows, an air weapon, a knife, a lock knife, a baseball bat and a pair of nunchuks.
• Of the 14 arrests, six have been charged, four of whom have been remanded in custody.  

This shows great teamwork to make the South West a hostile environment for drug dealers so they get the message that our communities are #noplacefordrugs #MakingWiltshireSafer

To watch our #noplacefordrugs #MakingWiltshireSafer videos visit
South West regional crack down on drugs #NoPlaceForDrugs - YouTube