Drugs Worth £1.34m Seized Between 17 Sept And 04 Oct

Drugs worth £1.34 million have been seized across NI between 17 September and 04 October, according to the latest figures from the PSNI's ongoing Operation DEALBREAKER.

The figures also show police conducted 94 searches; seized 317 drugs exhibits, made 129 arrests and charged 55 people for drug related offences.

Launched in July Operation DEALBREAKER is a multi-stranded, coordinated, collaborative operational approach to address every aspect of drug misuse across NI.

Speaking about operation, Detective Superintendent Zoe McKee said: "In July of this year the Police Service of Northern Ireland launched Operation DEALBREAKER – a multi-stranded, coordinated, collaborative operational approach to address every aspect of drug misuse across Northern Ireland.

"At the launch, I said that we would continue to do all we could to prevent and detect as much drug related activity as possible, be that importation, supply, possession, or financial gain resulting from drug related criminality, and proactively work to break criminal drug dealing networks to prevent harm to local communities.

"As part of Operation DEALBREAKER we also worked alongside our Border Force colleagues in the interception of packages containing suspected drugs that were sent through the postal system."

Detective Superintendent McKee continued: "The devastation experienced as a result of drug misuse is cross cutting and impacts people's lives at every level in Northern Ireland. The activities of these individuals and crime gangs is a demonstration of harm at its highest. They are only interested in control, money and lifestyle and will often prey on those who most need and deserve our help.

"As a Police Service, through Operation DEALBREAKER, we will continue to take a co-ordinated, consistent and multiagency approach, supported by partners within the Organised Crime Task Force to break the supply and demand chain."

Detective Superintendent McKee concluded: "I believe the public hold the ace card. I believe there are people who have information about who the drug-dealing criminals are. I believe local people know the harm they are causing within local communities. I believe everyone can play a critical part in our DEALBREAKER activity.

"I am making a direct appeal to anyone with information about the illicit supply, possession or misuse of drugs. Please call police in confidence on the non-emergency number 101, or submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.