Police launch dawn raids on 23 West Berkshire homes in Class A drugs crackdown

TWENTY three homes in the district got a rude awakening by police this morning in a huge drugs operation co-ordinated by Thames Valley Police.
Operation Rinderpest, which has been in planning since last October, got underway at about 7.30am this morning and targeted twenty three West Berkshire addresses. In total, 24 people have been arrested after a quantity of Class A drugs, stolen property and other property which is believed to be stolen was recovered.
Supt. Robin Rickard said: “This morning we have conducted a large number of address searches in order to arrest individuals suspected of dealing class A controlled drugs.
“The reason we have conducted these warrants and arrested people is because dealing controlled drugs is not only illegal it is deeply damaging to the community and drives criminals to commit crime in order to pay for their drug habit.
“Police will continue to target drug dealers as these are the people who callously supply drugs to, often vulnerable, people and make a lot of money out of those who are in need of help.”
A total of 160 police officers using 18 police vans met at Thames Valley Police's training centre in Sulhamstead for a briefing before executing the warrants.
The addresses where warrants were executed this morning are: Hilary House; Derby Road; Queens Court; Mill Lane; Green Lane; Lamtarra Way; Sayers Close; Hamilton Court; Borderers Gardens; Henshaw Crescent; Kyftle Court; Fullers Court; Queens Road; Windsor Court; Furlong Park; Redshank Court, Thatcham; Donnington Lodge; Southend; Newton Road; Wentworth Court; Freeman Court; Market Place and Drayton Road, Abingdon.
NewburyToday followed one raid in Sayers Close, Greenham, which resulted in the arrest of one man on suspicion of supplying heroin and crack cocaine, with a woman arrested on suspicion of allowing her use to be used for drugs use.
Sergeant Guy Summers, who was leading the team at Sayers Close, said: “We were tasked with coming to this address in Sayers Close at 7.45am.
“Myself and six officers forced entry to the property and arrested two people. We detained three originally but let one go.
“There is an indication in the address of drugs use. We’re now preparing to search the property with the help of our search teams for the misuse of drugs.
“Hopefully this operation will dissuade people from taking and selling drugs.
“The adrenaline is always pumping on raids because you go to an unknown address and you don’t know who is behind the door.
Sgt. Summers said Sayers Close residents had so far been supportive of the operation, with police carrying out reassurance patrols throughout the day.
“I’m sure we’ll be continuing these operations throughout the region in the future. An early morning door knock always keeps people on their toes,” he added.
For more details and pictures of the drugs raid, read this week’s Newbury Weekly News and log back to Newburytoday later for video of the dawn raids.