Bridport Police act to stamp out drugs gangs

Bridport Ins Mike Darby said: "This is part of the on-going proactive operation targetting London-based drug dealers who are operating out of Bridport."

He said the police had been conducting daily searches of properties in the last six months which had seen dealers move away.

But in the last three weeks they have returned, he said.

Insp Darby said: "The amount of police activity was a daily constant, disturbing their behaviour.

"But they have decided in the last three weeks to return."

He the drugs being dealt were crack cocaine and heroin.

Insp Darby said the operation was two-fold - to arrest and convict the dealers and to safeguard the vulnerable people whose homes they invade in what is known as 'cuckooing'.

He said: "There are a number of addresses they go to and flit between. The people whose addresses they are in are vulnerable people they are taking advantage of. In exchange they give these people heroin for free.

"We try and help these people. Some people welcome us because they don' t want these people in their houses.

"We also get a chance to refer them for help."

He added: "There is no doubt there is an underlying level of violence between rival gangs and these people are used to using intimidation and violence to get what they want.

"Protecting the vulnerable is our number one priority - in addition we can't be having London violence and London gangs supplying crack cocaine moving into west Dorset.

"This isn't inner city parts of London and we have t resolve to stop this significant threat to our society."

Insp Darby believes there are a core of about a dozen gang members.

And yesterday four people, three men and one woman were detained for suspected drugs misuse.

One male driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of class A drugs and another male occupant arrested on suspicion of possession of controlled drugs.

The car they were driving was seized and returned to the vehicle rental company.