No hiding place for drug dealers (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

No hiding place for drug dealers

POLICE have smashed a drug ring that tried to set up shop in Swindon. Seventeen people have been arrested as part of Operation Draw, which was launched to tackle drug dealers from London operating in Swindon.

More than £12,000 in cash, £7,000 worth of heroin and crack cocaine and two cars a Fiat Bravo and a Ford Escort van have also been seized in the operation to bust the gang.

Detective Sergeant Mark Luffman, who was part of the five-week investigation, said Swindon Police were determined to stop organised crooks infiltrating the town.

And he said the recent results should be a warning to anyone thinking of coming here to sell drugs.

Three of the people arrested have been charged in connection with the supply of Class A drugs and another five are expected to face similar charges.

Two others have been charged with growing cannabis.

Det Sgt Luffman, who along with a team of eight officers raided five addresses during the inquiry, said the impact on the drugs community was clear to see.

"Since this operation we have noticed a decline in the amount of information concerning these people," he said.

"The reason is that the disruption tactics are effective in showing people that if they come to Swindon they will be targeted.

"The message is, if you're thinking of coming here and dealing drugs, we will target you so stay away.

"There is no hiding place for drug dealers in our town."

The officers focused on people whose names had come up as a result of police investigations and public information.

Det Sgt Luffman said: "The target was people from out of town.

"It was a combination of the information the police officers were getting on the street and feeding in to us and from members of the public phoning in about concerns.

"Without both of these we wouldn't have been able to make a proper assessment of the situation."

And he added that it was important police put a stop to the dealers trying to take over Swindon before they got a foothold in the town.

"People from out of town were trying to muscle into the drugs market," he said.

"The people trying to take over are more organised than criminals here.

"If you can get into any organisation early enough you've got a good chance of stopping them getting established before they set up.

"It's been an excellent result. In the last five weeks there has been a lot of hard work from the officers involved who went out and did their job to good effect."

Superintendent Richard Rowland, of Swindon Police, said: "Drugs cause immeasurable harm to individuals and families and impact on the community in many ways.

"The success of Operation Draw shows our determination to crack down on drug dealers who peddle misery within our communities.

"Fundamental to the outstanding results of this operation has been the local knowledge of the officers and their commitment to deal robustly with the serious menace of drugs."

If you have information on drug dealing, call the Together Action Line on 0845 605 2222.

The information police need to know is who, what, where and when.

A good track record

THIS is not the first time police have put a stop to drug dealers trying to do business in Swindon.

In May this year a gang from London, who police said were responsible for a large part of the drug trade in Swindon, were jailed for a total of 40 years.

Their boss, 28-year-old Darren Mensah, who lived a luxury life of fast cars and designer clothes and admitted making £80,000 from drugs, was sentenced to 11 years for dealing in heroin.

He also received eight years for dealing in cannabis, to run concurrently.

Six members of his gang were given sentences ranging from six-and-a-half to two years in May.

One of them was his mother, Barbara Buadawah-Esandol, who received four-and-a-half years for money laundering a total of £12,700 and three years for dealing cannabis, to run concurrently.

And in September, Mohammed Miah, 24, and Faeed Iqbal, 21, who came from Birmingham to sell drugs, were jailed for four years each.

Acting Sergeant Matt Barnett said at the time: "If you come to Swindon dealing drugs you will be caught and we'll take everything you have."

Gareth Bethell