webpicSUSPICIOUS motorists and potential criminals have been targeted following another crackdown on Burton’s drug dealers.
As reported in the Mail yesterday, using the latest automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) equipment, Burton Police relaunched Operation Avon: Ring of Steel, which targeted drug dealers using the town’s roads linking in with its Nemesis operation.
Police and East Staffordshire Borough Council’s enforcement officers targeted major routes in and out of Burton, including the railway, the A50, Wellington Street to the A38 and the A38 towards Derby
Police seized one uninsured vehicle which was believed to have been used in crime, and a 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of cannabis possession.
Chris Beckett, neighbourhood police team sergeant at Burton Police Station, said: “Traffic officers were also stopping vehicles believed to have stolen items on board.
“We also gave advice to numerous people not wearing seatbelts and enforcement officers were checking taxis for licence documents as we know drug dealers use taxis to get around.
“We had a sniffer dog and three members of our Tactical Support Team visiting addresses they suspected of low level drug offences.”
Steve Maskrey, commander of the East Staffordshire policing team, said the day was very worthwhile, adding: “This was another ring of steel investigation where officers across East Staffordshire used resources in and around Burton to target known areas of drug dealing.
We targeted the main commuter routes in and out of Burton, and were also stop searching people. We were out from 10am to 2.30pm and it was a worthwhile day.
“We had good feedback from the community and we are determined to keep on top of the areas remaining.”
It comes after a crackdown in February, where police dished out ten fixed penalty notices to drivers without valid insurance, MOTs and road tax, which followed on a series of high profile police raids against drug dealers in the town since January, known as Operation Nemesis.
