Several warrants in York lead to arrests and suspected drugs seized
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The local Neighbourhood Policing Team have worked with specialist departments to conduct a number of warrants in the Acomb area.
Officers have acted on information that has been provided by members of the public and conducted three separate warrants.
At the first address, a quantity of what is believed to be a Class-B drug was seized as well as drugs paraphernalia. Two men in their 50s who are linked to the property will be interviewed as voluntary attendees in June.
At the second address, officers discovered two bags of white powder which is believed to be a Class-A drug and drugs paraphernalia. Officers also found a small quantity of what is suspected to be Class-C drug. A 17-year-old boy, a woman in her 50s and a man in his 50s will be interviewed as voluntary attendees.
At the third address, a large amount of cash was discovered along with a quantity of what is suspected to be a Class-A drug, a Class-B drug and a Class-C drug. A 22-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of possession with the intent to supply a Class-A and Class-B drug. They were both released under investigation.
PC Ben Ambler was part of a team that was executing one of the warrants
Sergeant Ben Stevens from the York outer Neighbourhood Policing Team commented:
“We have executed three warrants in seven days which shows our commitment to tackling drug related crime.
“The message is clear, we will not tolerate the use of illegal drugs as we know the negative impact that it has on our communities. It often leads young vulnerable people exploited to criminality.
“We will continue working with our partner agencies to tackle crime in the area, but we need your help by reporting it”
If you have any concerns or information about drugs in your community, contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
In an emergency, always call 999.
SPOT THE SIGNS
Cuckooing
Cuckooing is the term given when drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it at a base to sell and store drugs, often using violence and intimidation to achieve this. Cuckooing victims are often drug users themselves, or people who are vulnerable due to a mental or physical disability, their age or lifestyle, such as sex workers and single mothers.
So please look out for your vulnerable neighbours and report any concerns you have.
Signs of cuckooing to look out for include
Increased callers at a property at all times of the day or night
Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
Different accents at a property
Antisocial behaviour at a property
Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
Drug-related rubbish – small plastic bags, syringes
Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
Unexplained or untreated injuries
Children are groomed and exploited to deal drugs on behalf of organised criminals. These are the signs to look out for:
Persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area
Unexplained money, clothes, or mobile phones
Excessive receipt of texts / phone calls
Relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups
Leaving home / care without explanation
Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries
Carrying weapons
Significant decline in school results / performance
Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks
Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being
Travelling long distances on public transport - is it term time? Should they be in school? Are they paying high cost fares with cash?
Anyone with concerns about county lines can speak to their local police on 101 or call 999 in an emergency. If you’d rather stay anonymous you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you are a young person who is worried about being involved in county lines, or knows someone who is, you can speak to an adult and let them know how you feel.
You can also contact www.fearless.org who allow you to pass on information about crime anonymously.
You can also contact Childline on 0800 1111 – they are a private and confidential service where you can talk to counsellors about anything that is worrying you.
Get help for drug addiction
North Yorkshire Rise – young people's specialist drug and alcohol service- freephone 08000 14 14 80 (option 2).
North Yorkshire Horizons - adult specialist drug and alcohol service - freephone 08000 14 14 80 – nyhorizons.org.uk
Changing Lives - City of York Drug and Alcohol Service - 01904 464 680 - changing-lives.org.uk/services/drug-alcohol/york-drug-alcohol-support-services/
FRANK helpline and information - https://www.talktofrank.com/