Officers arrest nine people as part of pre-planned drugs operation in Basingstoke

Officers have arrested nine people as a part of a pre-planned drugs operation using specialised motorbikes designed to be ridden on all surfaces.

Following a positive operation last month, officers from the Basingstoke Priority Crime Team, ANPR and Roads Policing Unit were once again aided with unmarked off-road motorbikes to patrol the local area.

They worked together to target high-priority areas in the Basingstoke district between Thursday 15 February and Sunday 18 February. A total of nine people were arrested for a variety of offences.

On Saturday 17 February, officers stopped a BMW on Churchill Way West. Suspected Class A drugs were found inside the vehicle and two women and a man were arrested at the scene.

A 47-year-old woman from Newbury was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.

A 37-year-old man from Basingstoke was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and criminal damage to a property valued under £5,000.

A 24-year-old woman from Basingstoke was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and possessing a controlled drug of Class B.

All three have been bailed with conditions until 17 May while our enquiries continue.

Meanwhile, officers stopped a Mercedes on Western Way on Friday 16 February. Bags of suspected Class A drugs and cash was found inside the vehicle.

Two men, both aged 22, were arrested at the scene and one has since been charged with possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A and acquiring / using / possessing criminal property.

Two other people were arrested on suspicion of drug driving offences and two others were arrested in relation to domestic abuse incidents.

As well as the arrests, officers carried out seven positive stop / searches, handed out three community resolutions for drugs offences and issued five traffic related tickets.

Police Sergeant Karla Leese, from the Basingstoke Priority Crime Team, said: “Our team continues to take drug-related harm and the impact it causes on the community extremely seriously.

“We ran a similar operation to this last month and I’m pleased to say last week’s operation was once again a success and led to the arrests of nine people over a five-day period. 

“Once again, it was a collaborative effort involving a number of teams and I’m delighted we were able to use the force’s new off-road bikes.

“We have further planned weeks of action booked in which will help us continue our relentless pursuit of drug-related crime within the district.

“We want to make the area a hostile place for those who wish to commit drug-related crime and our message is simple – we will not tolerate this behaviour in Basingstoke.

“Please continue to tell us about any suspected drugs activity in your area so we can safeguard children and vulnerable adults and bring offenders to justice.”

To make a report, you can contact us on 101 or make a report via our website at https://www.hampshire.police.uk/.

If you don’t want to report to the police directly, you can report to the charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/