Published: Wednesday, 25th June, 2008 12:00
Public flushes out drug dealers
By Hamish Hutchinson
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Drug raids were carried out at properties across the county.
Pic by: David Robertson
A DESPERATE dealer tried to flush his stash of drugs down the toilet as police officers burst into his home during a series of morning raids.
And tip-offs from the Clackmannanshire public – sickened by the damage and destruction caused to lives and property – led drugs unit officers to uncover a ‘shooting gallery’ for junkies in Alloa.
Used needles were left scattered on the floor of the den where addicts injected themselves with heroin.
Family photographs, including many of young children, hung in the room – a shocking reminder that many youngsters’ lives are ruined as their addict parents are caught up in the drugs trade.
Sadly, with an estimated 40,000-60,000 children and young adults affected by drugs, scenes such as these are all too typical for the police officers who moved in on suspected low-level dealers in co-ordinated morning raids in Tullibody and Alloa.
A team of around 50 officers from Central Scotland Police took part in Operation Rose on Thursday accompanied by community councillors, council housing officials and the Advertiser.
Hand-held battering rams were used by officers to break down the doors of the suspected dealers’ homes.
Once the flats were secure, with the occupants inside, sniffer dogs Sam and Jinx were called into action.
In one property wraps of cocaine were found unflushed in the toilet pan, while in another police uncovered £400 worth of heroin and four bottles of methadone worth £100.
The drug busts were the culmination of intelligence supplied to police by members of the public.
Clackmannanshire’s police chief, Superintendent Andrew Price, told the Advertiser, “The communities in Clackmannanshire are well aware of the impact that drugs have on them.
“People commit crime in order to fund their drugs habit and often carry out violent or anti-social behaviour as a consequence of them taking drugs. Local dealers also have an impact on the tranquillity of their immediate neighbours.
“The police understand this and, thanks to the information communities supply to us, we are able to develop intelligence and target these dealers.
“Much of this work goes unnoticed but events like today are opportunities to show our presence and that we mean business.
“I thank the community for their support and ask for them to continue to work with us.”
Chairman of Tullibody, Cambus & Glenochil Community Council, Bobby Robinson, accompanied the officers on the raids.
He said, “Drugs are becoming a big problem and I’m glad to see an increase in operations against these people.
“They are a scourge on the community and it’s time they were put away.
“I’m glad to see that the problem of getting feedback to the police is lessening because you’ve got to stand up and be counted.
“The only way we’re going to wipe this out is for people who see anything suspicious to contact the police.”
Mr Robinson was joined by Dollar Community Councillor Charles Bell, who was shocked and appalled at the drug dens uncovered.
He said, “You read about it in the papers but if you haven’t seen it yourself you can’t appreciate the sort of conditions people are living in and the problems it is causing to the community around them.
“It’s not a pleasant job for the police but it has to be done and they need the public’s full support.”
As residents gathered in the streets looking on at the police activity, officers distributed leaflets to neighbouring homes informing them of the operation.
One passing mother-of-two from Tullibody told the Advertiser she was not surprised by the police raid.
She said, “It’s been really bad for a quite a while now.
“Sometimes you’re frightened to let the bairns out to go to the park because there are dirty needles left lying around.”
Further drug raids were carried out in the afternoon in Tillicoultry, Sauchie, Alloa and Tullibody.
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