Pubdate: Tue, 19 May 1998 Source: Scotsman (UK) Contact: Website: http://www.scotsman.com/ Author: Jim McBeth 38 ARRESTED IN DRUGS SWOOP BY STRATHCLYDE DETECTIVES In the biggest single enforcement operation in the history of Strathclyde police, detectives and uniformed officers seized enough heroin for 7,000 drug deals yesterday in a series of dawn raids. About 500,000 of drugs and stolen property were seized after more than 200 officers were drafted in for Operation Caesar. Thirty-eight people were put behind bars - the most arrested in such raids. The raids, which were concentrated in the north and south of Glasgow, took weeks of surveillance and planning. Police said that last night more arrests would follow soon. The officer who co-ordinated the operation said: "We have put a large dent in the activities of the dealers and saved lives in our communities." Detective Superintendent Barry Dougall, Strathclyde's drugs co-ordinator, added: "We visited 34 houses in the city and arrested 34 people. This followed raids on Friday when we arrested four others, two men and two women." It is understood there is no connection between the arrested people apart from being allegedly involved in the wider drugs trade. The raids involved the serious crime and drugs squads. The ages of those arrested ranged from 18 to 55. There were 27 men and 11 women. Mr Dougall said: "The operation focused on drugs and property and in the planning stages we believed the best way to do it was to co-ordinate the effort to have maximum effect. "Since Friday, that has happened. We have made some significant seizures in both drugs and property." Officers recovered one kilogram of heroin with an estimated street value of 250,000 as well as a quarter of a kilo of cocaine and 2,000 temazepam capsules or "jellies", which have been banned in this country since 1996. Quantities of cannabis were also recovered. The officers also seized stolen electrical goods and jewellery with a value of 100,000 as well as a large quantity of credit cards, three vehicles and a sawn-off shotgun. Mr Dougall said: "We also recovered 30,000 in cash. The total comes to approximately 500,000. "The most significant thing is that we have recovered the drugs, which would have put communities at risk. The heroin alone would break down into approximately 7,000 deals. That is a great many individual deals taken off the street, which is significant. "The danger with heroin is that it causes deaths. We have had 32 drug-related deaths in Strathclyde in 1998; the vast majority involved heroin. We have made a difference." It is understood that, as a result of yesterday's 38 arrests, more will follow. Mr Dougall added: "That is a distinct possibility, which is why I cannot discuss tactics or strategy. "The only correlation between the people arrested is that they were allegedly involved in the wider drug trade, although it is entirely possible, given the number of arrests, that we have damaged a wider network. "This is the biggest single anti-drugs operation that Strathclyde police have mounted in an operational environment. There have been larger operations, which dealt with the bigger picture, but, in an enforcement sense, this is the biggest. "We are entirely happy about the result; it is part of a very strong message to those who deal in drugs that we are committed to tackle the problem at all levels, to make communities safer and better places to live." John Orr, the chief constable of Strathclyde, was delighted by the operation. He said: "Today's arrests represent weeks of hard work by Strathclyde police officers. The events demonstrate the force's utter commitment to targeting those responsible for peddling death and misery in our communities." - --- Checked-by: Melodi Cornett