Almost £310K worth of drugs seized as a result of Operation Torus

'˜For my column this week, I thought I would give you all an update about our most recent campaign in respect of drug dealing.
Operation TorusOperation Torus
Operation Torus

Operation Torus is a policing initiative which deals with the issue of street level drug dealing across Northern Ireland.

The campaign runs at various times of the year and is designed to encourage reporting of drug dealing.

From the start of Operation Torus on February 27 to March 13, police across Northern Ireland have conducted 244 searches.

This has resulted in 59 arrests, and police have also charged or reported 43 people to the Public Prosecution Service.

Officers have also seized more than £309,000 worth of drugs as we work to protect our communities.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 covers the majority of law that we enforce regarding controlled drugs.

Passing drugs amongst your friends is supplying, even if no money is exchanged in return.

Allowing your house or premises to be used for drug misuse is also illegal.

Additionally, a conviction in relation to the misuse of drugs may have a negative effect on employment opportunities, particularly in relation to jobs within the medical, education, and law enforcement areas, in addition to working with children or vulnerable people.

It also affects visa applications for holidays and immigration to some countries.

Meanwhile, some insurance policies including; health cover, holiday, vehicle and life insurance can be invalidated by convictions in relation to the misuse of drugs.

Drugs remain a policing priority due to the devastating effects they can cause to individuals, their families and communities.

We could not carry out the job we do without the help of communities.

I would encourage anyone with information regarding drugs to come forward and help us reduce the threat of dangerous and illegal drugs on the streets.

Please keep vigilant and report any suspicious activity to us, which you can do in a variety of ways.

In a non-emergency please dial 101.

You can also report non-emergency crimes/incidents online via the PSNI website: www.psni.police.uk.

In an emergency always dial 999.

Did you know you can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter? @PSNI Foyle.’

Column by Inspector Rosie Thompson.