Luton dawn raids net £500,000 worth of heroin

Heroin with a street value of £500,000 has been seized by Bedfordshire Police officers following dawn raids across Luton on Thursday last week.

Packages of the class A drug weighing five kilogrammes were found by officers during pre-planned, intelligence-led warrants at three residential addresses in the Leagrave area.

Officers arrested six men aged between 24 and 36 and a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of offences including possession with intent to supply class A drugs and money laundering. All were subsequently released on bail, pending further enquiries.

Other white powder thought to be cocaine was also found, along with further drug paraphernalia, more than £15,000 in cash, knives and mobile phones.

Additional warrants targeting the same suspected organised crime group (OCG) were carried out on Friday morning (15 October).

Two further people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply crack and cocaine following three warrants in Luton and Bedford, with class A drugs, cash and mobile phones being seized. A man in his 20s and a 17-year-old boy remain in police custody for questioning.

The seizures are the latest in a string of results by Bedfordshire Police after a gun was found at a Bedford address and drugs and cash were seized in Dunstable last week.

Detective Superintendent Nick Skipworth, Bedfordshire Police’s director of intelligence, said: “This significant drugs seizure is the latest result following tireless work by officers and staff across Bedfordshire Police who are working around the clock to ensure those looking to bring such dangerous substances into our county aren’t able to do so.

“Heroin is one of the most addictive and damaging illegal drugs and its use has a knock-on impact across many of the low level crimes we see. Ensuring such a substantial amount has been prevented from making it into our communities is a huge result.

“It’s also vitally important that offenders were identified and apprehended, as ultimately our goal is to ensure those looking to profit from the misery of others in this way are stopped.

“I’d urge anyone with information on suspected drug dealing in their area to contact us.”

Anyone with any information about drug dealing is asked to report it via Bedfordshire.police.uk/report. All of this information is fed into police intelligence systems and helps officers build up a picture of organised crime, even if they do not act on the information straight away.

Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously through crimestoppers-uk.org

If you have concerns about gangs, knife crime and child criminal exploitation you can contact the Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit via bedsveru.org