Resident describes crime issues that 'plague' Bury St Edmunds neighbourhood after 'frightening' drugs raid
A resident has described the ‘frightening’ moment police carried out a drugs raid in his Bury St Edmunds neighbourhood.
Police swooped on a property in Spring Lane on Monday morning in a week-long crackdown on those suspected of supplying class A drugs in West Suffolk.
During the week 18 people, aged 14 to 48, were arrested.
Among those arrested and charged was David Cattle, 48, of Spring Lane, who appeared before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court accused of conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and supply of diamorphine in Haverhill between May 13 and 17. He was remanded in custody pending a further court date.
Teresa Hensleigh, 45, of Springfield Road, Bury, was charged with possession of one wrap of class A drugs and was released on bail to appear in court on November 19.
Following the Spring Lane raid, a resident, who did not wish to be named, said he had witnessed about 50 instances of drug dealing since January and had called police eight times with concerns about criminal activity.
“Having a police raid on Monday morning was frightening,” he said. “We had at least two police cars and three large vans turn up just before 9.30am. There were police dogs and ‘riot style’ police bashing at doors to gain entry.
“We all understand why this happened and support the efforts of the police, but for it to come to this really does show the extent of the issue in this area.
“I could write a book about the attempted break-ins on garages and property, graffiti, vandalism, fighting, litter, rough people lurking and trouble that seems to plague our lane.”
He added that he felt those living in supported accommodation in the area were being ‘targeted’ by drug dealers.
Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Mattin said the police action was and continued to be ‘an intelligence-led operation with assistance from communities’ and they would ‘look to identify those being exploited by their vulnerability’.
And Superintendent Kim Warner said: “We will continue to pursue, disrupt and arrest those people bringing criminality or anti-social behaviour, as well as constantly gathering intelligence that members of the public provide and for which we are grateful for.”
