Sussex Police's Seizure Rates Of Cocaine, Crack And Ecstasy Are Highest In England & Wales

Recent figures suggest the proportion of people in Sussex from whom police seize cocaine, crack, or ecstasy, is greater than anywhere else in England and Wales.

The Home Office figures, which are partially estimated, are for the twelve months up to this April.

For ALL drug seizures, they show a rise of 8% compared to the previous year.

Sussex Police said that reported confiscations reflect, to a great extent, police activity and success in disrupting drug dealing — and are not necessarily related to the prevalence of particular types in a community.

The raw numbers, also, do not indicate the actual quantities seized. 

Responding to the statistics, Sussex's police service added its pursuit of people involved in the supply of controlled drugs meant continuing to target those groups using intelligence, and using 'all possible lawful tactics' to disrupt their efforts, and lower the impact on local communities.

A spokesperson continued:

"In the past eight months alone, for example, we have arrested 754 people on suspicion of seeking to traffic drugs in Sussex. 

"In relation to cocaine, we are constantly disrupting 'County Lines' dealing, by drug networks that originate from large urban areas such as London to other communities. 

"Several of these cases relate to our work with the Metropolitan Police on 'Operation Orochi', which targets drugs dealers based in London, with the aim of systematically dismantling their drugs 'lines' they operate running into Sussex.

"These are the people who aren't 'hands-on' with the commodity and avoid police contact but exploit others, often the young and the vulnerable, to run drugs locally." 

In Brighton and Hove alone, the force said its officers made more than 700 arrests for drug offences of all kinds in the last six months, including 162 arrests for possession with intent to supply.

A leader of a County Lines drug operation was recently sentenced to 56 months in prison.

Police also executed a warrant in Hove where drugs with a street value of around £10,000 were seized and two suspects arrested. 

Detective Superintendent Stuart Hale, the force's lead on combating county lines, said:

"These activities are often part of an Organised Crime Groups, who use children and young people and vulnerable adults to carry out illegal activity on their behalf.

"Dealing drugs is not a new issue but the extent to which criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults, has become an inherent part of it through county lines can make it especially damaging.

"Key to tackling the issue is a multiagency response working with the local authorities, charities and others to support and work with these vulnerable children and adults across the County. 

"We use confiscation legislation to seize assets which have been obtained through criminal activity, warrants, plain clothes and uniformed patrols, and intelligence led arrests.

"Our Tactical Enforcement Teams, which will be joined by a Specialist Enforcement Unit in January, provide a dedicated response to disrupting serious criminal activity. 

"We also continue to work with partnership agencies such as the National Crime Agency, Border Force and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, developing and sharing intelligence targeting and disrupting all levels within the drug trade."