Hemel Hempstead Drug Raids

1 September 2010, 15:52

Ten people have been arrested following a series of raids in Hemel Hempstead.

Police targeted the Grovehill area today (Wednesday) and yesterday as part of an operation to tackle burglary and drugs offences.

Eight properties were raided this morning as the culmination of Operation Climb, which has seen police carry out covert investigation work for the last six months. More than 60 police officers were involved in today's raids - along with a police sniffer dog to help search for drugs.

Operation Climb's been carried out as a result of an increase in burglaries in the Dacorum area. Between April 2010 and September 2010 there has been a 35% rise in the number of incidents compared to the same period last year - that's 58 extra crimes.

Chief Inspector for Dacorum, Mike Pryce, told Heart:

"Last year was a very low year [for burglaries], so part of the increase this year is based on very, very low figures last year. But that said there has been an increase in burglary in Dacorum. It's because of a range of factors I think - it's the different types of burglary that we have, it's tackling some of these sorts of markets, it's identifying a series of burglaries very quickly and then putting tactics in place to try and reduce that.

"It's not a massive increase- it's a significant increase. But it's one that we've got a lot of operations - of which this is one - taking place to combat them"

Operation Climb aims to reduce the amount of crime - like burglaries - which take place because of the drugs industry.

On Tuesday five males from Hemel Hempstead - including two 19-year-olds, a 20-year-old, a 16-year-old and a 22-year-old - were arrested in the Grovehill area on suspicion of being involved in the supply of Class A drugs.

A further five people were arrested this morning:

A 26-year-old man was arrested at an address on Crawley Drive on suspicion of possession of Class B drugs.

A 25-year-old man was arrested at an address on Yeomans Ride on suspicion of possession of Class B drugs.

A 38-year-old man was arrested at an address on Park Crescent on suspicion of possession of Class B drugs and under the proceeds of crime Act.

A 23-year-old man was arrested at an address on Ninian Road on suspicion of possession and intent to supply Class B drugs.

A 47-year-old female was also arrested at the address on Ninian Road on suspicion of possession and intent to supply Class B drugs.

Chief Inspector Pryce told Heart:

"These are people who are definitely I think fuelling crime in the area. They're involved in a range of different types of crime, so I think by taking the action that we've taken today, that will definitely have an impact on crime in the area."