Newcastle Raids: Police Make Arrests And Seize Drugs

12 July 2011, 11:13 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Police in Newcastle tackling organised crime have carried out a series of raids throughout the last week at addresses across the citysuspected of being connected to people involved in organised crime - including drug use and supply.

Warrants were executed at Kenilworth Road in Elswick, Welbeck Road in Walker and Denton Road in Scotswood, with arrests being made and drugs seized.

Drug seizures include cannabis plants and resin as well as suspected amphetamine. A woman aged 27 was arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug and was bailed pending further enquiries, while a 51-year-old man was arrested and charged with possessing cannabis and a 21-year-old man was given a cannabis warning.

At one address at Welbeck Road 13 wraps of cocaine with a street value of around £20,000 was recovered. Three people, two men aged 55 and 24 and a woman aged 52 were arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine with intent to supply and bailed pending further enquiries.

And a warrant was also executed at a suspected brothel in Newcastle city centre and two women were arrested. One aged 56 was cautioned for keeping or managing a brothel used for prostitution, while the other, aged 19, was cautioned for possessing a controlled drug, namely amphetamine.

The raids were carried out as part of ongoing efforts to tackle those involved in organised crime in Newcastle.

DCI George Duff, Newcastle Area Command said:

'This is part of our commitment to tackle those people believed to be causing the most harm in our communities and to disrupting and dismantling their activities.

'A number of warrants were executed at addresses known to be connected to suspects and several people were arrested, with drugs recovered.

'Drug use and supply at all levels causes serious harm to the community and this is why we continue to take action against those people thought to be involved in such activity.

'We also executed a warrant at a suspected brothel. This sort of organised activity exploits vulnerable people for financial gain and has a negative impact on the quality of life of other people living in the area.

'There are a relatively small number of brothels in the north east compared to some parts of the country, and it is operations like this one that prevent the number increasing.

'We'll continue to take positive action such as this to ensure the concerns of the communities are addressed and those causing the most concerns are dealt with appropriately.'