Police make 1,000 drug seizures a month

Figures show that Greater Manchester Police has made 1,000 drugs seizures a month in the last year.

Statistics released by the Home Office show that GMP carried out 11,740 drug seizures in 2010/11, a nine per cent increase on the previous year.

The Force took more drugs off the streets than any other force, apart from the Met. Nationally the figure for seizures actually dropped by five per cent over the last year.

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: "I am extremely proud of the fact that we managed to take even more drugs off the street of Greater Manchester, bucking the national trend.

"10 years ago we carried out less than 4,000 seizures so this figure really demonstrates how we have taken the fight direct to drug dealers' door since then.

"There are many complex reasons for our success in recent years, but chief among them is a shift in emphasis in the way we link street-level crime to organised crime groups (OCGs).

"When we arrest a street dealer now they are not dealt with in isolation. Instead we use a range of mapping techniques to make those links to OCGs because they are the people we really need to target.

"The introduction of Hubs, which allows us to deal with information faster, has improved how quickly Neighbourhood Policing Teams respond to any suspicions the community report to us.

"This work has resulted in a number of high-profile days of action that have led to dozens of drugs arrests and seizures.

"Operation Rescind has seen three separate days of action result in dozens of drug dealers removed from the streets of Oldham while Operation Worn in Stockport has really put pressure on those who peddle drugs by targeting the street level crime and the serious organised crime behind it all.

"Crimestoppers continues to be a vital tool that allows people to report their concerns to us anonymously meaning they do not compromise themselves while telling police about things in their community that do not seem right.

"Drugs have a degrading effect on society and the crime associated with them causes misery to the whole community - so we do everything possible to find out who is responsible and put them before the courts."

Councillor Paul Murphy, Chairman of Greater Manchester Police Authority, said: “Drugs have a devastating impact on our communities, which is why the Police Authority has set challenging targets for GMP, making a promise to the public to come down harder than ever on this problem and up the pressure on drug-dealers.

"Today's figures highlight the hard work and dedication of police officers and staff, resulting in the Force being one of the best performing in the country. This shows just how far GMP has come in tackling crime and antisocial behaviour.

"The local community has been vital in helping police take criminals and drugs off our streets, and we thank them for that and also encourage them to continue working closely with the police to make Greater Manchester a safer place to live, work and visit."

Anyone with concerns about drug dealing in their community can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or find details of their Neighbourhood Policing Team at gmp.police.uk.