Officers have seized £50,000 in illegal drugs, £22,000 cash and three stolen cars during a week of action targeting the drug dealers preying on students in Newcastle.
The operation - part of Project Adder - also saw a range of weapons including five knives and a knuckle duster recovered, with 38 people arrested for offences including possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Project Adder - a partnership between Northumbria Police and Newcastle City Council - began a year ago and targets drug supply. The operation last week saw officers carry out stop and searches, vehicle stops and execute a number of search warrants
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The drugs found included cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis edibles. while police officers also seized around £20,000 in cash, the weapons and a range of mobile phones
Superintendent Jamie Pitt said: "The results of this week-long operation speak for themselves and are a testament to the hard work and passion of all those working in the Project Adder team. Following a detailed intelligence gathering phase, officers took strong, swift action using a number of tools at their disposal to successfully take large quantities of illegal, harmful and addictive substances out of the supply chain, and put a considerable dent in the pockets of the suppliers."
Supt Pitt added that the Project Team was committed to reducing the harm caused by illegal drugs, and added: "As a Force, we will continue to pursue the individuals seeking to turn a profit and dismantle the criminal organisations propping them up. We will also continue to work with partners and ensure those who need help are identified and offered the support they deserve."
Coun Karen Kilgour, deputy leader of Newcastle City Council said the operation's success had been "a fantastic outcome". She said: "Through Project ADDER, partners in Newcastle are working to help people overcome issues with substances, and a significant part of that is targeting the criminals who seek to exploit our communities and ruin lives through their actions.
"This shows our commitment in the city to tackling drug supply through the partnership, which also offers dedicated support to help individuals affected by drugs, as well their loved ones, to get the support they need. This includes support for young adults within a specialist team, and includes a student pathway."
Local support services are listed on the directory on talktofrank.com and students in Newcastle can also find resources online here.
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