A three-day police operation to tackle drug dealing at The Level has landed 11 people in police cells.
Although the park’s revamp has won awards, The Level has been a hotspot for drug related antisocial behaviour for many months, which has affected the whole park with vandalism, violence and child sex exploitation as well as dealing.
Last summer, a father spoke out about open drug dealing at the skatepark and dealers coercing youngsters into stealing or dealing after a teenage dealer was convicted of breaking a skater’s jaw.
In August, another sting led to five arrests, and last month officers in plain clothes and uniform worked together to identify more suspects and make arrests.
PC Sam Lambourn said: “We had received complaints and concerns from residents and users of The Level about suspicious behaviour and suspected drug dealing.
“The operation was carried out over three days and has resulted in arrests, charges and a conviction. We will continue to target drug dealing in the area and arrest anyone who we suspect to be in possession of drugs or supplying them in our city.”
Jason Tilley, 25, of no fixed address, was charged with possession of cannabis and appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 27 January. He pleaded guilty and was released on bail to be sentenced on 10 February at the same court.
Wisdon Dube, 18, of Ghyllside , Brighton, was charged with two counts of possession of cannabis. He admitted the charges when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 16 January and was given a community order and electronically tagged.
Jordon Blythe, 25, of Tavistock Close, Hackney, London, was arrested and charged with possession of a class A drug – ecstasy. He has been bailed to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 2 February.
A 20-year-old Brighton woman who was also arrested on suspicion of possession of ecstasy was later released without charge.
A 27-year-old Brighton man was given a £90 fine for possession of cannabis and a 25-year-old man from Southwick was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis and has been bailed until 13 February.
Ali Mohammed Jalil, 18, of Pelham Street, Brighton, was arrested and charged with offering to supply cannabis. He was released on bail and due to appear before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 16 February.
A 45-year-old Brighton man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession of cannabis. He was released on bail until 26 February. A 19-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis and released on bail until 25 February and a 20-year-old Brighton man was also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a class A drug and bailed until 24 February.
A 53-year-old Henfield man was stopped and found to be in possession of cannabis and given a warning.
Two boys aged 17 and 15 who were caught smoking cannabis at The Level had their details taken and will be visited at their homes by officers who will speak to them in the presence of their parents.
Do the police not think it would be a better use of their time to catch the crack and heroine dealers infesting the level than some teenage weed smokers?!
Are you kidding me. CANNABIS!? Waste of court and police time in my eyes. There are people buying crack and heroin all along London Road and The Level. There are people shooting up in the wendy houses at night and LEAVING SYRINGES THERE, there are broken crack pipes left in the park… let’s spend the time helping those struggling with addiction and focussing on trying to arrest the BIG TIME dealers of heroin and crack. Oh and patrolling the playground to stop users leaver their drugs litter.