£1m of drugs, guns and weapons seized and 70 arrests in Doncaster crime crackdown

Officers have made 67 arrests over the last four months as part of an intense operation to target and disrupt organised crime gangs and people involved in drugs production and violent crime in areas of the city.

Officers from Doncaster’s Neighbourhood Policing and Fortify teams have been joined by specialist teams from across the force, along with partner agencies, to carry out warrants, stop searches, open land searches and patrols.

Since September, the teams have executed 51 drugs warrants, conducted 127 stop searches and stopped 443 vehicles. These activities have led to the arrest of 67 people for a number of offences.

People have been charged with a number of offences including possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, forced labour and production of a Class B drug.

Officers have seized 1,067 cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of just over £1 million, as well as significant amounts of Class A drugs and cash.

Six firearms have been recovered, along with other weapons including knives, crossbows and machetes.

Doncaster District Commander, Chief Superintendent Ian Proffitt, said: "We have had some great results since this work began, but I can assure you that we have no plans to take our foot off the gas. This work will continue – and if you are involved in organised crime, you can rest assured that we will be knocking on your door.

“Our communities are concerned about violent crime, and rightly so. All too often, those incidents of violence can be traced back to those involved in organised crime gangs and the production and supply of drugs.

"By continuing to target these people we will help to create a safer Doncaster for all.”

T/Detective Chief Inspector Tom Bright, who is leading the operation, added: “The success of these operations hinges on intelligence. I want to appeal to people to get in touch with us with any information they may have about people involved in drug-related criminality.

“Even the smallest piece of information can prove vital in building a complete picture about people or properties involved in criminality.

“You can speak your local neighbourhood officers directly, use our online portal or call us on 101. You can also submit information anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers.”

You can access webchat and the online portal here: www.southyorks.police.uk/contact-us/report-something/

Alternatively, you can pass information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers via their website – www.crimestoppers-uk.org – or by calling their UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111.