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A drugs dog accompanied officers on patrol on the St Matthews Estate in Leicester last night (Wednesday July 2) as part of an operation to tackle drugs misuse and associated anti-social behaviour. Key locations were identified and targeted following information provided by members of the community. During the evening a total of 30 people were searched by officers on suspicion of possessing drugs and one person was cautioned for possession of cannabis. Two quantities of cannabis were recovered, as well as a quantity of what is believed to be crack cocaine. The patrol with the drugs dog is the first of many planned on the estate over the summer months as part of Operation Frustrate. Plain clothes officers will also be deployed in locations which have been identified through intelligence and through information from the community regarding hotspot areas for drugs misuse and related anti-social behaviour. Sergeant Gemma Hudson from the St Matthews neighbourhood team said: "Through our consultations with the community we know that drugs misuse, and anti-social behaviour that is linked to it, is a concern for many on the estate. "Thanks to information provided by residents we have now been able to identify hotspot areas and will be targeting them using a variety of methods over the summer months. The operation on Wednesday night was highly visible and I hope it will serve as a deterrent to those involved in the sale and use of drugs on the estate. "I hope it will also reassure the community that we are listening to their concerns and will act upon the information they give us. We are distributing leaflets in the area to make residents aware of the action we are taking and to urge them to call the police if they have any information. "Operation Frustrate will continue over the next few months as part of the neighbourhood team's efforts to make the estate a safer and more enjoyable place to live." Residents on the St Matthews Estate can report drugs misuse by calling Leicestershire Constabulary on 0116 222 2222. To leave a message for the neighbourhood team follow the instructions to leave a message and when prompted key in the voicemail number 9089. Alternatively call Crimestoppers, which is free* and anonymous, on 0800 555 111. |
