Wiltshire Police target suspected Devizes drug dealers

Wiltshire Police officers searched vehicles and property

Police have recovered cocaine, mobile phones and cash in a raid aimed at disrupting the supply of Class A drugs.

Co-ordinated raids took place in two residential streets in Devizes early on Thursday.

Firearms officers and police dogs assisted the search. No immediate arrests were made, police said.

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson said the raid would have a "serious negative effect" on county lines drugs operations.

Sgt Chris Wickham led the Wiltshire Police team which searched the properties after local magistrates granted the force warrants.

Key players

He said that "evidence gathering" had gone well and a significant quantity of white powder, suspected to be cocaine, was found at a property in Eastleigh Road.

Sgt Wickham, from the Devizes Community Policing team, praised members of the community who had provided information to assist the police.

"The impact of drug dealing and drug use on communities causes no end of anti-social behaviour," he added.

He explained that bringing an end to drug distribution is not something the force can do overnight, but that they will "keep fighting to take out some key players and make the community safer".

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson joined officers at one of the properties

Mr Wilkinson spoke to officers at the start of the operational briefing and joined them at one of the properties.

He said he was "positive" about the results of the searches.

"It is a major disruption," he said.

"This will have a serious negative effect on individuals and country lines and all the harm caused."

The PCC urged anyone aware of suspicious activity in their community to report it, without fear of being identified.

"No matter how small the piece of information is, it will be recorded and used to build up a bigger intelligence picture that officers can then act on," he said.