Two charged following days of action in Chester

Officers from Chester have charged two men with various offences following a crackdown on drug related activity in the city centre. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

On Friday 17 March and Sunday 25 March officers conducted two days of action in the city centre with the support of a passive drug dog. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The passive drug dog works by sniffing out any illegal substances from large crowds of people without making contact with an individual. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Officers will then stop and search any individual identified made by the dog. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

On 17 March, a total of 41 stop searches were carried out with 39 of those following an indication from the dog with two men being arrested: ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A 22-year-old man from Great Sutton was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class B drug (cannabis) and obstructing police. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class C drugs and possession of an offensive weapon. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Both men have since been charged. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

There were also 17 community resolutions issued where a person had accepted responsibility for a minor offence and is an out of court disposal. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

On Sunday 25 March, a total of 55 stop searches were carried out with 53 of these were following a positive indication from the drugs dog and from this, a 17-year-old boy from Bromborough, Wirral was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and possession of class B drugs (Cannabis). He has since been released under investigation pending further enquiries. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Inspector James Wilson said: “The passive drug dog is a fantastic asset for us when conducting these days of action as they allow us to pick up on activity which otherwise may have gone under our radar. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Here at Chester we are doing all we can to crackdown on criminal activity and this is just one of the ways in which we are using the tools available to us to do just that. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I hope that this action shows how we are committed to making Chester a safer place to live, work and visit by targeting those who think it is acceptable to bring illegal drugs to our area.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Anyone with information on drug activity in their area can report it via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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