Five held by police in drugs raids in city

FIVE people have been held by police in drugs raids in Portsmouth.

A quantity of drugs, cash and an imitation firearm were seized as part of the operation.

Officers tackling drug dealing and drug-related violence executed the warrants today after an investigation into illegal drugs as part of the Operation Fortress campaign.

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A 36-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, both from Portsmouth, and a 22-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a class A controlled drug.

A 21-year-old man from Portsmouth was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

And a 26-year-old man from London was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

Detective Inspector Gary Hill said: ‘Today’s warrants are part of our ongoing proactive work to tackle drug dealing and its associated violence in Portsmouth.

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‘We will continue to disrupt drug dealers’ activities and reduce the demand for them in the city’

Chief Inspector Jim Pegler, District Commander, added: ‘There are many people in Portsmouth who are dependent on illegal drugs, this is often a blight on their lives and that of their families.

‘We work in partnership to help and encourage people to free themselves from drug dependency.

‘Whilst there are people buying drugs in Portsmouth there will always be people willing to bring drugs to the city. Much of the street drug dealing in Portsmouth originates from London-based street gangs and we work with the Metropolitan Police to share intelligence and coordinate activity.’

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Operation Fortress is a campaign to reduce the harm of drug-related violence.

One of the aims is to restrict the supply of class A drugs and officers are keen to hear from anyone who is concerned about illegal drugs or drug-related crime in their neighbourhood.

The things to look out for are as follows:

n A sudden increase in visitors to a house or flat and people staying for a short time

n Short exchanges between small groups of people at or close to a flat or house

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n Residents leaving a flat or house on numerous occasions throughout the day and returning a short time later

n People loitering in an area and using their mobile phones frequently

n New-looking or hire cars parked outside a house or flat that wouldn’t normally be there, and being driven by somebody that you wouldn’t normally associate with driving that style of car.

If you have any concerns, call police on 101 or 999.