Tunstall Police Operation Nemesis Raid

Police from the Tunstall neighbourhood policing team have today raided seven addresses across
the north of Stoke-on-Trent in the latest phase of Operation Nemesis.

Raid began just before 9.00 am as officers simultaneously raided two semi-detached homes in Norton. Around a dozen officers arrived in Barks Drive and Mallorie Road and forced their way into the properties where the occupants were detained for a drugs search.

Officers searching the addresses discovered small quantities of Class B drugs and both addresses. This resulted three persons being issued with street cautions for possession of controlled drugs.

Shortly after officers raided an address in Pinfold Avenue were they discovered a small amount of Cannabis growing. These drugs were also seized and the occupant of the address received a street caution for the offence.

Elsewhere a team of officers involved in today’s operation targeted an end of terrace property on Williamson Street, near Tunstall town centre. A quantity of Cannabis was seized at this address. The person in possession of these drugs also received a street caution for the offence.

The teams then moved on to St Michaels Road in Pitshill where two homes were raided by police. In one property officers found clear signs of the use of illegal drugs but no one was in at the time of the raid.

A 56-year-old man was arrested when officers forced entry to a second property and discovered a significant quantity of cannabis plants growing in two upstairs rooms. The man will be questioned later about the Cultivation of Cannabis and abstraction of electricity.

The final property targeted by police in today’s operation was in Rivington Crescent, Fegg Hayes. At around 12:30 pm officers raided the address and conducted a search of the property under the misuse of drugs act. Unfortunately no drugs were seized in the final raid but officer will continue to monitor the situation.

Inspector Mark Hardern, Commander of the Tunstall Neighbourhood Policing Team said “All of our actions today have been prompted by members of the local community raising concerns about problems in their areas.

They told us they were concerned about the use and supply of illegal drugs in their communities, we did today’s raids to ensure we keep up the pressure on those who involve themselves in drugs. This series of warrants will disrupt the supply of drugs, and we will continue to target those involved in drugs.”

The local neighbourhood policing team have been doing a great deal of other work in these communities to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, in Norton, looking at the last three month period against the same period last year, anti-social behaviour reports have fallen by 42% which is around 100 calls. Serious acquisitive crime, which includes burglary and vehicle crime, has been reduced by 49% which is 20 less victims.

All this activity is helping to improve the confidence of the local community and is resulting in more and more information from residents who are supporting the action police and its partners are taking.

Most of the properties raided in today’s operation were rented and officers are contacting the landlords about the action taken.

Local residents concerned about crime and drugs in their local area are urged to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.