Police crackdown on drugs in Bridgend Town Centre

Bridgend officers teamed up with a passive drugs dog as part of Operation Chesapeake to target trouble hotspots in the town centre in particular around the bus station.

The drugs dog was used to detect any illegal drugs on people in the bus station along with a number of pubs in the town.

Twenty two stop-searches were carried out as part of the operation which took place on Thursday, January 31. Four men were arrested, three on suspicion of drug offences and one on a prison recall.

The three arrested on suspicion of drug offences have been released under investigation.

This operation is part of continued drive to tackle anti-social behaviour, drugs and crime in the town centre. Officers who took part in the operation were from the neighbourhood policing teams, community safety partnership team, priority policing team, territorial support team, PCSOs along with a passive drugs dog and her handler.

Bridgend County Borough Council’s licensing officers also took part in the operation carrying out licensing checks.

Neighbourhood officers have been working closely with the local authority, traders and members of the community, to address concerns about drug dealing in the town in particular around the bus station area.

This operation follows on from a large-scale operation to tackle the supply of class A drugs in Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan. Operation Avalanche led to 44 arrests and disrupted drug supply in the town centre.

PC Darren Morris, licensing officer for Bridgend, said:

“Drug use and supply, and anti-social behaviour are consistently highlighted as some of the main concerns of traders and the community who visit Bridgend Town Centre. We are committed to doing all we can to stamp out these issues to ensure the town remains a safe and pleasant place to live and visit.

“This operation was not a one-off, we are continuously working with a range of partners, including the local authority to target these issues.”

He added: “I would like to thank the community and the traders for their information and support. I would urge anyone with information about drug supply to contact 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”