Bedfordshire Police’s guns and gangs squad seize cocaine and zombie knives

Bedfordshire Police’s specialist guns and gangs unit has seized thousands of pounds worth of drugs and a 10inch zombie knife in coordinated raids across Bedford and Luton.

Officers seized Class A and B drugs following an early morning operation in Luton this morning (Wednesday), as well as a number of mobile phones believed to be used to facilitate a drug supply ring.

Four men were arrested during the raid and remain in police custody for questioning.

These latest results follow the unit’s success in a separate operation targeting a Bedford based drugs line supplying cocaine and heroin.

Last week, officers executed a warrant at a property in the Biddenham area of the town, believed to be used as a drug factory.  During a search of the property, officers found more than £1,000 worth of Class A drugs, a number of phones and two blades including a 10inch zombie knife.

Officers arrested five people at the location, two men in their 20s have since been remanded into custody charged with drug supply offences as well as assault of an emergency worker and violent disorder.

Detective Inspector Scott Fowler, leading the specialist unit, said,: “Time and time again we have seen the devastating links between, drugs, serious violence and exploitation and these recent results haven’t been short of these well-known hallmarks.

“When we say that we won’t let up on our efforts to tackle gangs and organised crime, this is why. Anyone who thinks it’s okay to fund their lifestyle by selling life-destroying drugs in our communities, being in possession of and using deadly weapons and exploiting vulnerable people to do it, is sorely mistaken. In less than seven days we believe we have taken out one drugs line while severely disrupting three more and I would like to assure any drug dealer reading this that our efforts are far from over.

“Don’t be fooled into thinking we don’t know those who are wreaking havoc on our communities. We know who they are, we know what they’re doing and we’re never far off taking another drug line down.

“I would also appeal to the wider community, while we employ a number of tactics to identify and apprehend those involved in drug dealing, your reports are integral in these results too. If you have suspicions, concerns or evidence of somebody dealing drugs or being exploited by drug dealer – I urge you to report it.”

Anyone with any information about drug dealing can report it or by calling 101.

All this information is fed into police intelligence systems and helps officers build up a picture of serious and organised crime.

For more information visit our Boson section.