Drug busts soar by 70% in Cornwall and Devon in one year with MDMA, cocaine and crack leading the way
To put this shocking figure for Cornwall and Devon into context, drugs busts dropped by 7% across England and Wales as a whole in the same time period
Mike Smallcombe
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Drug busts have soared by nearly 70% in Devon and Cornwall in the space of only 12 months, shocking new figures have revealed.
Officers in the two counties recorded 4,360 drug seizures in 2016/17, a 69% rise on the previous year, with cocaine, crack and ecstasy driving the upward trend.
To put this figure into context, drugs busts dropped by 7% across England and Wales as a whole in the same time period, according to statistics released by the Home Office.
Cocaine busts rose by 90% in Cornwall and Devon in 2016/17, while crack seizures increased by 156%, the highest since records began in 2009.
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The rate at which officers are seizing quantities of MDMA (ecstasy) in the area jumped by 264%, which is the second highest in England and Wales and four times higher than the overall rate.
Drug busts have soared by nearly 70% in Devon and Cornwall in the space of only 12 months
On Friday, two teens from Devon died in Plymouth after taking what police believe was MDMA.
Seizure rates for benzodiazepines have also soared in Devon and Cornwall in the past year (102%), as well as cannabis (39%) and amphetamines (36%). The area is also a hotspot for methadone seizures, which rose by 70%.
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In October, Devon and Cornwall Police launched a major offensive targeting dangerous drug networks as part of a large-scale operation into drug dealing in the counties.
Officers carried out a number of arrests in a major crackdown of suspected drug suppliers flooding Cornwall's streets, as gangs in major cities send their foot soldiers to the South West to peddle drugs to untapped markets.
The rate at which officers are seizing quantities of MDMA in Cornwall and Devon jumped by 264%
Det Supt Ken Lamont said: "This activity, named Operation Cleft , is the result of us talking to the community and listening to their concerns about the sale and use of drugs in the area.
"We worked together as one team to safeguard communities and neighbourhoods by targeting dangerous drugs networks, referred to as 'DNNs' – a term used for urban gangs supplying drugs into our local market and coastal towns.
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"The operation is a campaign with police and other agencies to find long-term solutions to restricting the supply of drugs, reducing demand and rebuilding communities."
The operation targeted the supply of Class A drugs heroin and crack cocaine, with the ultimate aim of disrupting some of the major supply lines into Cornwall.
Det Supt Lamont added: "National, regional and local learning has shown how DDN's target vulnerability in many guises to move both drugs and money.
"This includes the exploitation of children, the exploitation of vulnerable adults, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation of women. Gangs can typically take over the homes of local vulnerable adults in a term referred to as 'cuckooing'.
"We have developed our understanding of the vulnerability of traditional street dealers who may have previously been viewed as offenders. However, often these are vulnerable people who are used by suppliers to run drugs. DNNs target the most vulnerable in society and we are here to protect them.
"Intelligence and ongoing proactive work shows that Class A drugs are being supplied by organised crime groups utilising members of the public who originate from the Metropolitan area of London, Manchester, Liverpool and the West Midlands areas."
Police are keen to hear from anyone who is concerned about illegal drugs or drug-related crime in their neighbourhood.
If anyone believes their neighbours are being cuckooed or having their addresses taken over, especially if vulnerable, they should report this immediately.
The support we receive from local people is vital in helping us make our communities safer and every piece of information is greatly appreciated.
If you have any concerns, contact police via 101@dc.police.uk or by calling 101. If you don't want to speak to the police directly, you can call the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.
Devon and Cornwall Police