Towns' drug dealers are on police hit list

A POLICE crackdown on drugs that could result in dealers' doors being smashed down has been backed by Wadebridge's mayor.

The town together with Bodmin and the surrounding villages is the latest community to be targeted by a recently formed support team in Bodmin.

The team targets anti-social behaviour by working closely with the neighbourhood policing teams and Tactical Aid Group (TAG).

Wadebridge mayor Elliot Osborne has pledged his support to the campaign.

Currently the new police team are targeting drug dealers and this has already had a number of positive results.

Since the initiative began in July officers have done more than 150 stop checks and carried out 24 warrants at residential properties, the last two in Wadebridge. In the latest raid a group of officers from the support team and Liskeard Target Policing Team (TPT) swooped on an address in Burlawn.

A quantity of what is believed to be heroin was found at the property. A 30-year-old male was arrested at the scene on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs and later released on police bail.

Police say more warrants are going to be executed in Wadebridge in the next few weeks and also in Padstow.

PC Danny Gooch, from the new support team, said: "We are operating a zero tolerance on all drugs users and dealers. Once we receive sufficient information to authorise a search warrant this will be actioned.

"We have already had several successful operations in Bodmin and will now be targeting other towns and villages. Wadebridge and Padstow are our next hits.

"We rely on information from the public so if anyone suspects that someone is using or dealing drugs at an address in either town of surrounding villages we would be interested to hear from them."

Mr Osborne said: "I fully support the actions the police are taking. It would be lovely to be able to say Wadebridge was a drug free town. I know this is not the case but maybe in time this is something we could promote. I would encourage anyone who has information to contact those police. Drug abuse is disgusting and we should do all we can to stop it."

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Gooch at Bodmin police station on 08452 777 444 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.