MORE than £47,000 in cash, a firearm and five samurai swords have been seized in Wiltshire as police stepped up action against drug crime during a week-long crackdown across the region.
Operation Scorpion 15, which ran from June 22 to 28, saw Wiltshire Police join forces with neighbouring police forces, the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit and British Transport Police to target drug dealers and associated criminality, particularly in pubs, clubs and other night-time economy venues.
In Wiltshire alone, officers made 36 arrests, carried out ten drug warrants, conducted 35 stop and searches, and disrupted drug supply networks 122 times.
They also seized 26kg of cannabis, almost 700g of cocaine, heroin, ketamine, MDMA tablets and crystal, amphetamines and magic mushrooms, along with £47,705 in cash.
Eight weapons were also recovered including a firearm, an extendable baton and five samurai swords.
(Picture: Wiltshire Police)
Police said the operation was about more than arrests with officers also safeguarding vulnerable people, carrying out child protection visits, checking licensed premises and working alongside schools, councils and drug support services.
Chief Insp Pete Foster, who led the operation in Wiltshire, said: “Now in its fifteenth phase, Operation Scorpion continues to demonstrate its strength as a well-established and highly effective initiative, focused on making the South West a hostile environment for drug dealers and those involved in associated criminality.
“This latest phase has delivered 32 arrests and 122 disruptions to drug supply networks in Wiltshire, alongside the removal of eight weapons from the streets and the seizure of £47,000 in cash.”
He added that officers also carried out targeted patrols in drug dealing hotspots, test purchase operations in licensed premises, drink and drug driving operations, safeguarding visits and education campaigns in schools.
Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “Operation Scorpion 15 shows the real impact we can have when police forces across the South West work together to tackle the harm caused by illegal drugs.
“Just as importantly, this operation has prioritised safeguarding and prevention.”
Across the South West, the operation resulted in 103 arrests, 16 vulnerable adults and children being safeguarded, more than 5kg of Class A drugs and 24kg of cannabis seized, along with almost £82,000 in cash.
Wiltshire Police is urging anyone with information about suspected drug dealing to report it by calling 101 or anonymously through Crimestoppers.
