Police arrest 32 and seize £10,000 of heroin and cocaine in raids

Dec 4 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MORE than 30 suspected dealers were arrested in a series of dawn raids aimed at smashing Huddersfield’s class A drugs trade.

Police broke down doors at addresses across the town in four days of targeted swoops as part of Operation Greystoke.

Thirty-two people were arrested.

About £10,000-worth of heroin, cocaine and other drugs were seized, as well as about £3,500 in cash linked to suspected dealing.

Officers also found weapons including knives and a machete.

On Wednesday, two cannabis farms were discovered at Fair Street in Lockwood containing about 60 plants with a potential street value of about £20,000.

Det Chief Insp Dave Knopwood, who heads up the Kirklees district drugs team, said: “Our ultimate aim is to stem the tide of drug dealing on the streets of Kirklees and get more people into rehabilitation with the help of the Drugs Intervention Programme (DIP) and other partners.

“Those who won’t comply with avenues of help will be sent straight into court proceedings.”

He said drugs had a much wider impact than on those involved in supplying and using them.

“Those who become reliant on drugs often become involved in such crime to fund their addictions,’’ he said.

“There are also strong links between drugs and antisocial behaviour. This is something which will effect everyone in the community and is something we are dedicated to tackling through operations such as this.”

Det Chief Insp Knopwood added the operation had been carried out based on months of intelligence gathering.

“We have been going out to seek certain individuals and others have also come into the frame while we have been out there,” he said.