Drug arrests after traffic stop

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of drug offences after a traffic stop by police.

Officers from the force's guns and gangs unit, Boson, stopped the vehicle in Stotfold at around 11.30pm last night (Monday).

Officers recovered cannabis, cash, and several mobile phones from the vehicle.

As a result, two teenagers and a man in his 20s, from Henlow, Letchworth and Biggleswade respectively, were all arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug.

Detective Inspector Tom Stean, from Boson, said: “This proactive arrest is the latest result in our ongoing efforts to disrupt those suspected of being involved drug dealing.

“We know the corrosive impact drug dealing can have on our communities. From anti-social behaviour and burglary through to knife crime – all of these can often be traced directly back to drugs.

“Cannabis falls into this category. We increasingly see children being groomed into county lines gangs to sell cannabis, which can often set these exploited young people into a downward spiral of crime and violence.

“Serious violence also invariably goes hand in hand with the supply of cannabis, with large criminal networks growing and selling the drug to fund other criminal activity such as weapons.

“It is vital that people keep us informed about what is going on in their area. We will always look to act when we have a full picture of what is happening and apprehend those involved in organised crime.”

All three men have today (Tuesday) released on bail, pending further enquiries.

All reports into police are fed into their intelligence systems and can help assist investigations, even if officers do not act on the information straight away.

You can report information via the online reporting centre or by calling 101.

You can also report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.

For more information about the response to organised crime in Bedfordshire, see our Bedfordshire Against Violence and Exploitation (BAVEX) page.