POLICE are running an operation to stop anti-social behaviour and criminal damage in Pill and Maesglas in Newport.

Officers will be patrolling the areas following reports of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, including on Docks Way in Pill and on Cardiff Road, Maesglas Road and Maesglas Avenue in Maesglas.

A 48-hour dispersal order is in place and started on Wednesday at 6pm.

The order enables police officers and community support officers to direct anyone to leave one of the areas if they are involved in anti-social behaviour. If anyone returns there after being moved on, they face being arrested.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for Pill, Neil Muirhead, said: “There have been a wide range of incidents taking place within these areas, including anti-social behaviour such as shouting, swearing, underage drinking, harassment and also related criminal damage.

“Due to persistent anti-social behaviour by various groups over recent weeks in and around these two areas, we are now taking a zero tolerance approach to this issue. The dispersal order will provide us with further powers to tackle this issue and prevent groups of people from gathering and causing a disturbance and officers are patrolling the area regularly to enforce the dispersal order and to prevent incidents of anti-social behaviour. “ For more information about the dispersal order, contact officers in Pill on 01633 245 477.