Police have been praised for their ‘significant’ impact of 18-month operation targeting Doncaster’s drug dealers.
Doncaster Inspector Adrian Luscombe has commended the impact of an intensive and meticulously planned operation saying he has “never been involved in a police operation that’d had a more significant impact than this one”.
“The operation has been a huge success and I cannot stress enough the impact it has had in helping to dismantle drugs lines across the city and particularly in Doncaster South NPT,” said Insp Luscombe.
“If I could have written a list of people I’d want removing from the area, I’d say that almost all of the key ones are gone, going or have had their operations heavily disrupted thanks to months of hard work, planning and intelligence gathering.
Drug dealers who have been locked up as part of the operation include Alexander Olas, of Harrogate Drive, James Sheerin, of Stone Riding, and Henry Hodgson, of Church Street, among several others.
“In the past, certain key OCG members have been jailed or gone away which has created a void that has soon been filled.
“Now, with this strategy in place we’re moving from a successful Clear phase to a Hold process which enables us to build on the gains we’ve made and start doing some preventative work so people are less vulnerable to OCG involvement.
“It has created a vital breathing space for us to work and the longer we go without OCG involvement in these areas, the more time it gives us to build for the future.”
Officers will now visit schools in the area to ensure the lure of organised crime doesn’t become a part of children’s future, as they look to build a more prosperous future for people living in those communities.
He said: “The community at large might not have been so aware of the harm these individuals were causing but drugs supply means there are drug users who have to fund a habit.”