A MAJOR police operation to rid the streets of Devizes of drug dealers has resulted in nine people pleading guilty to drugs offences.

Police are hailing the operation a success and say it should also see a decline in burglaries and thefts in the town.

But the police are warning people who might be tempted to deal drugs that they will not gain a foothold in the area.

The police operation, codenamed Ardent, started nine months ago and it culminated in 7am raids at ten addresses in Devizes on Thursday involving more than 60 officers. Raids were also carried out at addresses in Chippenham and Calne in a similar but separate operation.

In Devizes, six flats in Waiblingen Way were raided along with properties in Bridewell Square, Elm Court, Mayenne Place, and one in Potterne.

Fifteen people were arrested and nine were charged with drugs offences. They all pleaded guilty when they appeared at North Wiltshire Magistrates Court in Chippenham and they will be sentenced at a later date.

Two people were released on police bail for suspected drugs offences, two people were charged with handling stolen goods and two were released on police bail in connection with theft offences.

Stolen property and a small amount of suspected heroin were seized from the addresses. The police said the early morning raids were not intended to find large amounts of drugs as they already had the evidence they needed to arrest and charge people.

Much of the information on alleged drug dealing came from residents and the police carried out undercover work.

In the months before the dawn swoops, there was a noticeable rise in burglaries and thefts in Devizes, which the police believe was connected to the supply of drugs.

Since April this year non-domestic burglaries, such as sheds and garages, went up by almost 100 per cent, compared to last year. House burglaries increased by 50 per cent and theft and handling offences rose by 67 per cent.

Operation Ardent was set up to target the supply and distribution of class A controlled drugs, namely heroin and crack cocaine, and was the biggest drugs operation in the Salisbury division for several years.

Inspector Pete Bowerbank, the commander of Devizes Borough Police Station, was yesterday meeting with Kennet District Council and Sarsen Housing Association to discuss ways of ensuring that large numbers of drug addicts do not end up living in the same street, as they did in Waiblingen Way.

About half of the properties in Waiblingen Way are owned by Sarsen Housing Association and Insp Bowerbank said a number of people arrested last week were either tenants of Sarsen or were co-habiting in Sarsen properties.

Insp Bowerbank said: "We aim to work with Sarsen to monitor the situation."

He said the police will be working with drug agencies to try to help drug addicts in Devizes. But he warned that if addicts turned to dealing they will be dealt with severely. He said: "We are going to crack down hard as we can't allow the situation to happen again.

"Ourselves and our partners in the Kennet Community Safety Partnership will also consider applying for anti-social behaviour orders to ban people from areas of the town."

Insp Bowerbank intends to set up a meeting for residents of Waiblingen Way in a bid to resurrect the residents' association. He said: "There used to be one but there was perhaps a reluctance by people to get involved because of the fear of intimidation."

A resident of Waiblingen Way said the street is a different place following the police raids. "It's so much quieter. Now we can leave our windows open and not worry about our stuff being pinched."

Nine admit dealing

NINE people pleaded guilty when they appeared before magistrates in Chippenham following the raids.

Christopher O'Donovan, 38, of Bridewell Square, Devizes, nine drugs charges including supplying heroin; Richard Pearce, 25, of New Park Street, Devizes, six drugs charges including supplying heroin and crack cocaine; Charles Bradford-Gregory, 24, of Manor Farm House, Potterne, one charge of being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine; Tim Cooper, 19, of Waiblingen Way, Devizes, seven drugs charges including supplying crack cocaine; Kavara Hughes, 33, of Waiblingen Way, Devizes, four drugs charges including supplying heroin; Patrick Hughes, 31, of Mayenne Place, Devizes, five drugs charges including supplying crack cocaine; Stephen Knight, 36, of Waiblingen Way, Devizes, six drugs offences including supplying heroin; Scott King, 30, of Waiblingen Way, Devizes, one charge of offering to supply heroin; Laura Jones, 21, formerly of New Park Street, Devizes, two drugs charges including offering to supply crack cocaine. They were all remanded in custody, except for Bradford-Gregory and Jones, who were bailed.

In addition at Kennet Magistrates Court in Devizes on Monday Anthony Elliott, 19, of Byron Road, Devizes, admitted dishonestly receiving stolen goods, namely a watch, belonging to the Wiltshire Blind Association. He was fined £75 and ordered to pay costs of £50.

Marcia Watts, 35, arrested at a flat in Waiblingen Way, admitted handling six watches and two radio cassettes stolen from the Wiltshire Blind Association. She was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

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