MORE THAN 2,000 DRUGS ARRESTS IN NORFOLK, SUFFOLK AND CAMBRIDGESHIRE

More than 2,000 drugs arrest were made across East Anglia last year,
new figures have revealed, as police warn substance abuse fuels crime
at all levels of society.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show there were
1,073 arrests - including 256 for drug dealing - in Norfolk last year.
Offences range from possession of cannabis to drug production and
dealing class A substances.

In Suffolk 596 arrests were made and in Cambridgeshire officers made
585 arrests.

Over the same period 19 drug factories have been shut down in Norfolk
and 37 in Suffolk. Criminals assets worth well over UKP1m have been
seized through the courts.

Det Supt Nick Dean, from Norfolk police CID, said arrest levels in the
county demonstrated the force's zero tolerance approach to drug crime.

He added: "Whether it's street dealing or serious organised gangs,
drug crime has a detrimental affect on the users but also the wider
community.

"We need to send out a message that these offences will not be
tolerated in Norfolk and we will work hard to make sure our
communities are not exploited by criminal gangs."

The most recent British Crime Survey shows drug offences were down
18pc nationally but these new figures show the scale of the problem
that exists in the region.

In Norfolk drug offences have risen steadily over the last three
years, from 923 offences in 2008. There has been a similar increase in
Cambridgeshire and a slight drop in Suffolk.

The most common offence in Norfolk was possession of cannabis but
there were also 105 arrests for possession of heroin and 48 for
possession of cocaine.

Mr Dean said that a number of high profile operations had sent out a
message to drugs gangs that the county was not a soft touch.

But he said there was no room for complacency, adding that officers
must remain alert to the threat of new gangs moving in to exploit the
territory left by those taken off the streets.

His comments come after a series of high profile prosecutions,
including a gang from London which turned over about UKP20,000 a week
selling crack cocaine and heroin on the county's streets through a
network of small-scale dealers.

The gang of eight - who used the Norwich landmark of Cow Tower as an
unofficial "drugs kiosk" - were jailed for a total of more than 40
years after being caught selling drugs to an undercover police officer.

Three men, described as "foot soldiers" in another London-based gang,
were jailed for a total of nine-and-a-half years after being caught
smuggling crack cocaine into Norfolk.

And another "highly organised" drugs gang responsible for bringing
thousands of pounds worth of cocaine into Norfolk are currently
serving sentences totalling more than 17 years.

The gang, who dealt cocaine in Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and Caister
areas, were led by Robert Munday, 30, from Cheshire who acted as a
wholesaler responsible for the supply of drugs estimated to be worth
more than UKP1m per year.

His arrest was part of a crack down aimed at disrupting the drugs
trade, making it difficult for gangs from outside of the county to set
up in the area.

Det Supt Dean said: "Whether its officers making street level arrests
for more minor offences such as possession, to larger covert
operations, we are determined to target every level of the drugs trades.

"The lower level arrests are important as we are targeting the demand
that organised gangs prey upon and because it can lead to intelligence
which helps us target those further up the chain.

"The number of drug offences in Norfolk has remained relatively steady
over the last decade. The nature of the problem is such that gangs
operate as professional businesses and, once one gang is removed,
another will look to move in on an area and exploit any gaps.

"We are alive to the threat of people coming in from London and other
metropolitan areas and recent operations have shown that such activity
will not be tolerated.

"That's what the community would expect and from street level offences
to major operations, we adopt a pro-active stance so gangs should know
exactly what they're going to get when they come to Norfolk."