Drug dealing which plagues south Cambridge will “never go away”, a police chief has warned – because traffickers who get locked up are just replaced with another batch from London. Sgt Jim Stevenson, the area’s top officer, said 17 people were currently on bail after being arrested by his team in the last three months but that this would not stamp out the trade. In the last quarter, officers executed eight drugs warrants in the south and east of the city, resulting in a number of arrests – including seven people who were detained on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs – and the seizure of class A and B drugs.
On top of this, 35 people have been stopped under stop and search legislation, resulting in two arrests for possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply, and cannabis seizures from five people. Sgt Stevenson told the south area committee most of the dealers were being sent from London and that, while his officers were getting “very proficient” at spotting traffickers, this would not end the matter. He said: “When we deal with them, we will then deal with the people sent to replace them. To some extent the problem is never going to go away.”
