Antisocial behaviour investigation leads to drug arrests

Police have arrested three people for drugs offences after simultaneously raiding four homes in Bettws.

On Friday (October 2) 28 Gwent Police officers forced their way into four houses in Crouch Close, Bettws. After finding small amounts of cannabis and amphetamines, officers arrested one 23-year-old man and two women, aged 38 and 43, for drug possession. Another woman, aged 45, was arrested for cruelty to an animal and a malnourished dog was taken away by the RSPCA.

The raids came after a Safer Newport antisocial behaviour investigation carried out by Newport West Neighbourhood Policing Team, Charter Housing, and a victim support officer from Newport City Council. A total of 31 incidents of antisocial behaviour in Crouch Close were reported between August 1st and October 1st 2009. These included three incidents of serious disorder.

Sergeant John Davies, of Newport West Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:
“This action was planned to show the minority of problem residents in the Crouch Close area that antisocial behaviour and the victimising of people is not acceptable.

If you go about making other people’s lives a misery, we will come down hard on you.

Partner agencies in Newport are continually working together to ensure antisocial behaviour is tackled and to protect and reassure law-abiding people.”

Pam Russell, a victim support officer for the Safer Newport partnership, added:
“Results like this can only be achieved by partnership working and as a result innocent victims have been supported and seen the benefits of reporting incidents.

The message has gone out in unison from the community and the Safer Newport partnership that we will not tolerate this sort of behaviour anywhere in our city.”

Anyone with information on antisocial behaviour or drug crime in their area can call Gwent Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.