THE Gwent Police superintendent for the Newport area has described yesterday’s Operation Divide raids as a resounding success.

Operation Divide, which tackles serious and organised crime across the region, saw 13 properties in Alway and Lliswerry raided, resulting in 11 people being arrested.

Superintendent Ian Roberts said: “The operation involved more than 150 of our specialist officers carrying out these warrants and I’m extremely proud of their hard work and determination to make our communities safe.

“This activity does not just take place in isolation, it is just one aspect of a much larger fight to tackle serious and organised crime in Gwent. We have our eyes on these people and we won’t stop this fight to dismantle these groups of criminals.

Yesterday’s operation is a part of the wider Operation Jigsaw, which had been in the planning for several months and its purpose is to dismantle the full scope of criminality - including drug and county lines, modern day slavery and human trafficking, and cyber and financial crime - in Gwent.

 

The teams involved in the raids included serious organised crime team, specialist method of entry and search trained officers, along with officers from the dogs’ section and criminal investigation teams. Local officers were also on hand to help.

Following the raids, a number of vehicles were seized, including an Audi A3 and Q5, along with large quantities of designer clothing and jewellery, cash and high value electrical equipment.

 

And what is thought to be Class A drugs have also been seized and will be sent away for forensic examination and identification.

Superintendent Roberts added that Gwent Police would be working with the council, local schools and the wider community to help with the operation.

He said: “The impact of the individuals’ activities is not just felt in Gwent but in a wider region.

“Operation Jigsaw is looking into Gwent as a whole. It is a Gwent Police operation.

“As part of the operation we are also working with the council to assess the impact. We are also working with schools to make sure that children in these families are being looked after. Some officers are also doing an environmental clean-up, where people have been concerned about needles.

“All of these things are part of Jigsaw. We are trying to re-build the community after taking these people out of it.

“There will now be further investigations and we will discuss the evidence we have collected.

“Our aim is to bring criminals to justice and let the community know.

“But we need the community to help us too. The public know who are dealing drugs and involved in other crimes and now we need them to help us identify them.

“If you have any information which can help us please do not hesitate to get in contact. The best numbers are 101, 999 in an emergency or Crimestoppers.”