FORTY criminals are being targeted in a crackdown on drug dealing, burglary and theft.
Offenders who profit from their crimes were arrested in a series of dawn raids yesterday.
By early afternoon four search warrants were executed under the Theft Act and the Misuse of Drugs Act, with Class B drugs seized.
Nine people were also arrested including a 16-year-old boy, two 17-year-olds and two 18-year-olds all on suspicion of burglary offences.
Eight remained in custody throughout the day and one was held for a court hearing.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Knopwood said the operation included intelligence given to them by the public.
He said: “We are focusing on one or two hotspot areas where we have crime levels over and above what we expect.
“The type of people we are targeting are the drug dealers and burglars – the people who are bringing misery to the community.
“It is a day of action based on what the community is telling us about these people.”
The Examiner was invited to join the raids with Sergeant Guy Shackleton, two detectives and four Operational Support Officers.
Our first target was a 24-year-old Batley man they suspected of being a drug dealer and officers forced their way into the property and the man confessed to possessing Cannabis.
During another raid the officers were searching for a Huddersfield man known to be a Class A drugs dealer.
He is linked to several addresses throughout the town so the team visited all in search of the offender, who they were unable to locate – but it is an example of the lengthy work officers often face when locating defendants.
DCI Knopwood added: “We have a list of 40 people we want to target, we won’t get through them all in one day but these are the people we are watching. This is about targeting people whose crimes are funding their lifestyle.”
Detective Inspector Richard Holmes added: “The criminal activity of those that have not been arrested has been severely disrupted by today’s activities. During the operation
there has been the recovery of controlled drugs, stolen property and cash
believed to be from the proceeds of crime.
“The Neighbourhood
Policing Teams have been carrying out surveys in streets where burglaries
have recently been committed with every recent victim of crime being
visited by a local officer.”
Further raids are planned while officers at Huddersfield Police Station were working well into the night to gather evidence against those arrested to secure a conviction.
