The Isle of Wight’s High Harm Team has been developing intelligence to target drug suppliers on the Island, which has led to a number of arrests being made and drugs taken off the streets in the past week.
On Sunday, officers paid a visit to an area of Shanklin that is said to be frequented by local drug dealers. A male was stopped and searched on Regent Street, with searches of 2 nearby properties also carried out. An amount of cash and the Class B drug cannabis were seized.
A 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs. They have both since been released from custody but remain under investigation.
A raid was also carried out at an address in Monks Lane, Freshwater last Thursday (16th June) where a small amount of Class A and Class B drugs were located, as well as cash. Investigations continue.
As well as targeting drug dealers, the High Harm Team will be maintaining a focus on targeting knife carriers and anyone who possesses offensive weapons.
Last Wednesday, an off-duty police officer detained a 14-year-old boy on Woodland View, Ryde who was suspected of carrying an imitation firearm, as well as possessing cannabis. He was interviewed voluntarily under caution for these offences and enquiries continue.
Superintendent Jim Pegler, Isle of Wight District Commander, has said:
“Our proactive High Harm Team has already been busy and working hard to pull pieces of intelligence together that have been coming in from the community, and have been targeting affected areas and perpetrators.
Article continues below this advertisement “I want to be clear to anyone on the Island who is involved in drugs supply, who carries a knife, a weapon, a firearm – whether it’s real or not, if you intend to use this for criminal purposes, then we are going to take action.
“We want our communities to please keep reporting information to us as this intelligence is key to informing our operational activity. Depending on what’s reported, you may not see an immediate police response, but I can reassure you we will be working behind the scenes to pull the bigger picture together.”
Great work, guys and girls. The island really needs to see the back of this scum and their vile drugs, and all of the problems that they cause. Well done !
Been reporting druggie for nearly 2yrs just get told to keep reporting it as it adds to intelligence, given up now!
Crack and Heroin been main problem on island for decades ,yet none of these people ever get raided?
would love to know the quantities. making a mountain out of a mole hill i have no doubt
Go for it High Harm Team, get these vermin off our Island. Well done!
I’m glad catching a few nippers with a bit of dope adds to the figures. Never mind all the smackheads walking around Scott free because they grass each other up. I’m more concerned about all the nonces that walk about. Just remember, people aren’t forced to take drugs.
If pubs were allowed to sell it, as a version that is controlled, just like the strength of alcohol, the criminal element would vanish. Would also save the pubs from closing.
I don’t like the smell and I am not a fan. But Prohibition does not work.
Make it LEGAL to buy, but ILLEGAL to use, then HMG gets tax on legal sales, the message still stays it is illegal to use, so those who will use it can’t flaunt it, or risk doing so in public, and it being legal doesn’t make it seem ‘ok’ to the children who do respect the law, IF any such still exists.