Lancashire Police has today launched the third phase of Operation Nexus with the aim of disrupting organised crime in Preston.
Operation Nexus has resulted in the investigation of a number of incidents where serious violence has been used stemming from drug-related activity and the fallout from groups involved.
Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Holgate, who is running the operation, said: “This week’s activity follows on from a series of targeted proactive operations and intelligence gathering over a period of several months and we hope to make a number of arrests.
“The point is that we know that drug related activity and the associated violence that goes with it has a significant impact on people living in the areas where it is happening.
“We know that this activity is blatant and is happening in broad daylight so we want to make sure that we are doing all we can to ensure that we support our day to day reactive policing, with a proactive approach to tackle it and make it as difficult as possible for those involved to carry on operating in the way they do.
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“This is not a one off – the intelligence gathering and investigative work that goes on behind Operation Nexus is constant and we will continue to tackle this – we will not tolerate this activity in our City and on our streets.”
The operation is supported by officers from all departments and aims to ensure that those involved in the activity receive the support they need. This is to help change the culture for those who are involved in crime or know about those who are.
Detective Chief Inspector Holgate continued: “We believe this activity will not only disrupt and deal with those involved, but that it will help us to warn and educate young people about the consequences of going down the same path.
“It’s also really important that as part of this work, communities feel stronger and more empowered to do what they can to prevent serious organised crime from becoming the community norm.
“Local people are a vital source of intelligence and they need to help us to keep them safe by telling us what they know and turning rumour into hard evidence. New technology and legislation can help us protect people to come forward who otherwise would have been too frightened to so it’s important that people know they can trust us when they have something to tell us.”
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Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner added: “Operations such as this show that the police continue to take appropriate action against drug related and organised crime. Developing safe and confident communities is a key priority under my Police and Crime Plan and tackling those who put drugs onto our streets is a key part of this.
“Frontline policing is much more than just the traditional bobby on the beat and this is shown by the range of specialist officers and different policing teams involved in this operation, highlighting that officers have the skills, resources and determination to stop criminal gangs.
“A lot of the work being done to combat criminal gangs often goes unseen but it is happening and information from the public plays a vital role in supporting our officers’ hard work to keep people across Lancashire safe.”
Any information can be passed to police via 101 or anonymously by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.