Drugs, cash and weapons removed from south west communities as a result of Operation Scorpion
South West police seized more than five kilos of drugs and tens of thousands of pounds worth of cash during a region-wide crackdown codenamed Operation Scorpion.
Operation Scorpion is a collaboration between five Police and Crime Commissioners and their respective police forces from Avon and Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, alongside the British Transport Police, South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) and the charity CrimeStoppers.
This partnership combines resources to tackle drug supply across the region and make the South West a hostile environment for drugs. The focus of phase three of the operation was on the supply and use of drugs in the night-time economy.
Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “I have always been clear that Wiltshire, and the south west is no place for drugs - and Operation Scorpion has certainly reinforced that message.
“I’m proud of the work of our police force and those of the south west for disrupting such a remarkable amount of drugs activity. These dealers are now off the streets and being pointed in a direction where they make a better contribution to our society which is a significant step towards making Wiltshire a safer place for people to live and work.”
Officers carried out a range of targeted activities and patrols in identified hotspot areas across the region including Plymouth, Bournemouth, Swindon, Cheltenham and Bath. Plain clothes resources were deployed into bars, where drugs testing was carried out in licensed venues.
During the previous two phases of Operation Scorpion, which took place in March and July, there were over 800 pieces of policing activity, multiple kilograms of drugs seized alongside over £300,000 cash and a variety of weapons.
Phase 3, which ran from over three weekends from 18 November to 3 December, resulted in:
- 649 drug disruptions
- 70 arrests, 8 charges
- 22 people safeguarded
- £51,853 cash seized
- Around 3.5kg of Class B drugs and 2.2kg of Class A drugs
Anyone with information about illegal drugs activity should report it to their local police service online or via 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.
To pass on information anonymously, speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year on 0800 555 111 or use their non-traceable online form. Contact will remain 100% anonymous. Always.
They will never ask for a name or contact details and the phone call or online report will never be traced. If the information supplied leads to an arrest and charge, there could be a cash reward of up to £1,000.