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Raids target Jamaican drugs gang | Raids target Jamaican drugs gang |
(about 5 hours later) | |
More than 400 police officers have raided homes across England in a bid to disrupt an international drugs trade. | More than 400 police officers have raided homes across England in a bid to disrupt an international drugs trade. |
Operation Sabre, led by Cleveland Police, targeted a network ferrying crack cocaine from Jamaica via London for distribution in the North East. | Operation Sabre, led by Cleveland Police, targeted a network ferrying crack cocaine from Jamaica via London for distribution in the North East. |
Dawn raids were carried out in London and Teesside, with properties in the West Midlands, North Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumbria also targeted. | |
Police said 21 people were arrested in the "wide-ranging" operation. | |
Of those held, six are from the Hackney, Isle of Dogs and Ilford areas of London, and 15 are from the North East and North Yorkshire. | |
We have hammered away at the bottom end in the past but this time we have the information we need to target key people Det Insp Dave Lamplough, Cleveland Police | We have hammered away at the bottom end in the past but this time we have the information we need to target key people Det Insp Dave Lamplough, Cleveland Police |
The latest raids, which focused on the network's "major players" followed an operation in September to disrupt street-level dealing. | The latest raids, which focused on the network's "major players" followed an operation in September to disrupt street-level dealing. |
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Sean Price said: "Today's action strikes at the very heart of a lucrative drugs network. | Cleveland Police Chief Constable Sean Price said: "Today's action strikes at the very heart of a lucrative drugs network. |
"The aim is to take out not just street level dealers, but the masterminds behind this evil trade. | "The aim is to take out not just street level dealers, but the masterminds behind this evil trade. |
"This sends out a clear message that those who try to bring drugs into our communities will be arrested; there is no hiding place." | "This sends out a clear message that those who try to bring drugs into our communities will be arrested; there is no hiding place." |
Detectives said they had recovered evidence from mobile phones seized in the September raids, which led them to the major dealers. | Detectives said they had recovered evidence from mobile phones seized in the September raids, which led them to the major dealers. |
'Whole network' | 'Whole network' |
Det Insp Dave Lamplough, of the force's Organised Crime Unit, said: "The vast majority of the people being targeted today are Jamaican. | Det Insp Dave Lamplough, of the force's Organised Crime Unit, said: "The vast majority of the people being targeted today are Jamaican. |
"Although the gang had their base in Teesside, the main co-ordinators of the operation were in London. | "Although the gang had their base in Teesside, the main co-ordinators of the operation were in London. |
"We have hammered away at the bottom end in the past but this time we have the information we need to target key people. | "We have hammered away at the bottom end in the past but this time we have the information we need to target key people. |
"We are taking out the whole network." | "We are taking out the whole network." |
He said the gang, which imports the crack cocaine using mainly female couriers, distributes across the North East using the East Coast rail network. | He said the gang, which imports the crack cocaine using mainly female couriers, distributes across the North East using the East Coast rail network. |
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