A teenager has been charged after officers recovered suspected class A drugs and multiple weapons in Welwyn Garden City last week.
Welwyn Hatfield’s Operation Scorpion – a team that tackles acquisitive crime – were conducting proactive patrols in the Raymonds Plain area at around 2pm on Monday, April 12, when they attempted to detain a male, believed to be involved in county lines drug dealing.
The male fled from officers before being arrested in Great Ley.
Hundreds of pounds worth of cash, suspected class A drugs (crack cocaine) and a large Rambo knife were recovered.
A machete was also seized during a subsequent search of a nearby property.
A 15-year-old boy has been charged with possession of a bladed article and possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.
PC Jordan Willett, from Operation Scorpion, said: “I hope that this arrest and subsequent charge reassures the local community that we take these issues seriously. To help us gather intelligence, it is crucial that you report any concerns or suspicions to us. The more information you give, the better action we can take.”
Chief superintendent Richard Liversidge, who leads the Local Policing Command, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Operation Scorpion and all our officers who at times put themselves in harm’s way to keep the community safe. In this case, they have taken two very dangerous weapons off the streets and for that I commend them.
“If you have concerns about young and vulnerable people in your local communities, you can help us protect them by making sure to report any concerns to police straight away.”
Herts police will conduct a week of action to combat knife crime between Monday, April 26 and Sunday, May 2 as part of Operation Sceptre, a national knife crime initiative.
Knife related crime remains lower in Hertfordshire than in other parts of the country, but the campaign aims to reinforce the message that carrying a knife is illegal and will not help to keep you safe.
You can report information online at herts.police.uk/report, via online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or call 101.
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