Northamptonshire Police has carried out a total of 145 warrants across the county during 100 days of intense police activity. A total of 88 people have been arrested including linchpins of organised crime gangs and a number of ‘county lines’ drugs networks have been dismantled.
The number of key players arrested across a range of crime types will have a lasting, positive impact on communities across the county.
#100Days was launched on July 13 and since then, specialist teams have worked relentlessly, arresting 49 people in the north of the county and 39 in the west. These were in relation to criminal activity relating to drugs, child exploitation, sexual abuse and violent crime.
Highlights are below:
West Northamptonshire
- In one operation, 18 warrants unearthed 2,303 cannabis plants from eight different factories. Four of these were linked to organised crime.
- In Northampton, more than £12k cash was recovered from an address in Cedar Road, as well as weapons, cannabis and cocaine.
- 117 Class A wraps, cash and phones were recovered from an address in Kingsley Road and four people were arrested.
- Another cannabis factory was discovered at an address on Montgomery Way and one person was arrested for cannabis importation, bitcoin and dark web connections.
North of the County
- In Kettering, six people were arrested during one warrant and that included the principal member of an organised crime gang.
- Polish mafia were targeted in another warrant which resulted in eight arrests and 12 warrants, all linked to firearms and drugs. A Taser and bladed weapons were recovered, along with a large quantity of drugs.
- In Corby, £65k of cash was seized during a money laundering investigation and on the same day, a further £25k was removed from related warrants.
- High value goods and £9500 cash were recovered from an address on Crown Street in Kettering and one person was arrested.
A key aspect central to all the police activity has been the identification and protection of the vulnerable. As a result, eight children have been safeguarded, including a two-year-old who was identified as vulnerable during a drugs warrant.
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Blatchly said: “Officers have worked relentlessly during the last three months and as a result some really significant arrests have been made and that includes leaders of a number of serious organised crime gangs.
“These gangs are a scourge on our society and the criminality associated with them often includes child abuse, exploitation and violent crime.
“I am confident these arrests will help make this county a safer place but this doesn’t mean we’ll be taking our foot off the gas – we will continue to take the fight to the criminals and those who seek to make personal gain by criminal means can be sure we’ll be coming after them.
“I’d like to thank the public for the phenomenal amount of intelligence which has been submitted over the past few months, driving this period of intense activity.
“Our work to fight crime and protect the vulnerable continues and I continue to appeal to local communities to submit information relating to any concerns they have in their neighbourhood, by calling 101 or submitting a report online.
Anybody wishing to report information anonymously can do so by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Source: https://www.northants.police.uk/news/
