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SOLIHULL Police have seized drugs worth in excess of £50,000 as part of a three-month crackdown operation. Between 18 January and 30 April the Smith’s Wood neighbourhood policing team were busy executing 28 drugs warrants as part of Operation Gardener - a drug dealing crackdown across Smith’s Wood. Of the 28 warrants carried out, 26 of the properties searched required forced entry by officers, where they uncovered six cannabis factories and the remains of another, along with three Pit Bull Terriers and one taser device.

 Over the three month period a total of 18 people were arrested, of which five were charged with the production of a Class B drug, three charged with possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, five people charged with possession of a Class B drug, and one person charged with possession of a prohibited weapon under the Firearms Act.

 Although only a small amount of drugs was found to be on the five people charged with possession of a Class B drug, they were still issued with £80 fixed penalty notices, highlighting police are clamping down even on the minor drug offences. Of the three Pit Bull Terriers seized, one was destroyed and one is due to be destroyed.  Two people are to be charged later this week with being in possession of a fighting dog under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. 

The operation was prompted by residents in Smith’s Wood who expressed strong opinions at meetings with the neighbourhood policing team over the amount of alleged drug use and dealing occurring within the area. Sergeant Garry Burnham said: “The production, sale and misuse of illegal drugs in Smith’s Wood is unacceptable and has a negative effect on the community. The Smith’s Wood community asked us to tackle this issue and that is what we have done.” “We will act decisively on intelligence received from members of the public in order to bring offenders to justice, and we believe that this operation and the subsequent court proceedings will have a positive result on drugs related crime in this neighbourhood." 

As Solihull Police 'gets tough' on drug users and dealers they continue to combat the production, sale and misuse of drugs in Solihull under Operation Serve and Protect; the force operation to keep pressure on all known offenders in order to drive crime down across the Borough. If you have concerns regarding drug dealing and/or drug use where you live, please telephone Solihull Police on 0345 113 5000.  Alternatively, you can get in touch with your neighbourhood policing team via our website www.solihullpolice.org.uk .