Brighton detectives have led a series of drugs raids resulting in 16 arrests and the seizure of £50,000 cash, together with six kilos of heroin mixed with cutting agent, with an estimated potential street value of £600.000.
Yesterday afternoon, officers from the Brighton-based Organised Crime Team co-ordinated the raids, with search warrants issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, at nine addresses in Brighton, one in Eastbourne and one in Liverpool.
During the searches, which involved more than 100 police officers and staff, three safes were also found.
13 people (10 men and three women) were arrested in Brighton and Eastbourne on suspicion of conspiracy to supply heroin, and one woman was arrested in Brighton on suspicion of obstructing the police.
Two of the men, aged 29 and 62, and two of the woman, aged 62 and 28, arrested on suspicion of conspiracy in Brighton, have been interviewed and released on police bail until 13 May.
India Williams, 23, of Langridge Drive, Portslade, has been charged with obstructing police and is due to appear on bail at Brighton Magistrates Court on 9 April.
Nine of those arrested, eight men aged, 44, 42, 48, 60, 47, 48 (all from Brighton) 53 (from Portslade) and 53 (from Eastbourne), and one woman aged 41 from Brighton are currently still in police custody for interview and further enquiries.
Nobody was arrested at the Liverpool address but a man and a woman linked to that address were arrested later the same day in Preston and Morecambe by Lancashire Constabulary officers, also on suspicion of conspiracy to supply heroin. They are being brought from Lancashire to Brighton later today to be interviewed
Detective Inspector Julie Wakeford of Sussex Police said; These arrests follow a long-term covert intelligence-based investigation about organised crime supplying heroin from Liverpool into Brighton and Eastbourne. We worked very closely with Merseyside Police and also with Lancashire Constabulary.
“This investigation is part of our continuing work aimed at disrupting the supply of drugs, especially the most dangerous drugs such as heroin, on the streets of Sussex.”
Addresses were searched (and arrests made in Brighton and Eastbourne) at the following locations;
- Natal Road, Moulsecoomb – cash was recovered
- Langley Crescent, Woodingdean – safe recovered, cash and heroin and cutting agent recovered
- Bexhill Road , Woodingdean – cash, safe and heroin and mixing agent recovered
- Chiddingly Close, Whitehawk – safe and cash recovered
- Foxdown Way, Woodingdean – cash recovered
- Downhill View, Woodingdean – cash recovered
- Langridge Drive, Mile Oak – heroin recovered
- Tavistock Down, Hollingdean – small amount of cash recovered
- Sheepcote Valley Caravan Park, East Brighton
- Downs Avenue, Eastbourne
- Commercial Road, Liverpool
