TEAMS of Grampian Police officers have carried out a series of early morning raids in Aberdeenshire this week, seizing illegal drugs including heroin, cannabis, amphetamines, M-Cat, cocaine and diazepam. In excess of £2500 in cash was also recovered.
Over the past four days, 12 drugs search warrants have been executed in Inverurie, Westhill, Huntly, Ellon and Fraserburgh, following intelligence received from local communities.
Enquiries are still ongoing in relation to the seizures and five people will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with drug and other offences. More importantly, a number of referrals have been made to the Community Substance Misuse Service.
The raids are part of Operation Hotspur, a unique collaborative approach to tackling illegal drugs in Aberdeenshire launched in November, which brings together Grampian Police, Aberdeenshire Council, NHS Grampian and the Scottish Prison Service.
Detective Constable Craig Dunbar said:
“Clearly drugs raids play an important role but the operation is about more than that. It’s also about working with our partners through the drug and alcohol partnership to break the cycle of offending by dealing with the root causes of drug use.
“That is why it is particularly pleasing that a number of people have decided to take up the services on offer by Community Substance Misuse Service to help them break free from addiction.”
“The success we’ve seen, both today and over the first couple of months of Operation Hotspur, shows clearly what can be achieved when police, the Community Substance Misuse Services and the local community work hand in hand.”
If you have information relating to drugs or any other crime in your area, you can contact Grampian Police on 0845 600 5 700 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
