More than 200 people were stopped and searched and 28 arrests were made in the past week, as extra police took to the streets of West Croydon as part of Operation Cleveland, in the aftermath of the spate of knife attacks across south London and the murder in Selhurst last weekend.
One of the ‘nasty adapted weapons’ recovered during Operation Cleveland
The police say that “The operation targeted drug-related offences and the violence it so often causes on our streets in West Croydon.”
After 215 stops and searches in the operation, nine weapons were recovered and what the police describe as “countless quantities of drugs”.
In an update on the first week of Operation Cleveland, the police said that officers had conducted 174 weapons sweeps in West Croydon, mainly knives, but including what they described as “a nasty adapted weapon”.
“Intelligence from the public and residents has seen us be able to execute three warrants this week all with successful arrests being made and a number of firearms being taken out of circulation to be destroyed,” the police said.
“It does not end here. We continue to work over the weekend providing this robust, no-nonsense approach to tackling these issues which are affecting our residents.”
Officers in Operation Cleveland conducting a sweep search
The police say that if you have any information regarding drug-related crime taking place in West Croydon, “Intelligence gathered here will lead to action being taken as we continue to build our resources in tackling these crimes.”
All emails to Russell.Easterbrook3@met.police.uk will be treated in confidence, the police say.
Read more: ‘Our failure can be read on the headstones of dead youth’
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So long as the drugs trade is placed by government into the hands of criminals, people will kill and be killed to build or protect market share.
The “war on drugs” is a waste of time, money, effort and lives. The Prime Minister and the Minister for the Cabinet Office are among those MPs who have admitted taking drugs in their youth, so clearly consumption is no barrier to success if you are white, rich and well-connected.
While the police press release on the arrests doesn’t say what drugs were seized, their publicity photos clearly show some to be cannabis.
Cannabis is legal in Canada, Uruguay, Georgia, South Africa and 15 states in the USA. It is decriminalised in the Netherlands, Spain, 16 states in the USA, 2 states in Australia and over 25 other countries.
Those where it is illegal include the UK, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
It’s high time (pun intended) that we reformed our drugs laws, taking into account what has worked abroad, instead of being stuck in the past with some of the worst regimes in the world.
There is clearly a spiritual deficit in our society–and previous society , as the issues of gangs, knives and worse, has been a feature of life for some, over hundreds of years. In London, even before the industrial revolution.
Monetary poverty seems to have a close hanger-on, cultural poverty.
Some of these young people will come from loving homes, but my guess is that many will not.
The Devil finds work for idle hands. People need hope and a feeling of worth, purpose and involvement in society.
How to divert these young gang members away from crime. Is it all money ?
I don’t think so. Jobs–leisure opportunities– friends- music– spirituality and being valued.
Education, education, education. OK, that must be part of it. But not just at “Uni”
Apprenticeships, on-the job training– local colleges, leading to gainful, legal employment too.
How about free education for 3 or 4 years for the over 19’s ? Yeah, facilitated by some form of money award– it could be called a ……… Grant ? Redeemable at any age from 18 to 38 .
Yep, sounds good to me. A Grant !