A NEW taskforce has been launched in a bid to tackle drugs in the Thames Valley.
The Drugs Focus Taskforce helps with the investigation into county drugs lines.
Until January, management and investigation into the issue has been run by local policing areas, despite the drugs primarily originating from London, Birmingham and Liverpool.
This, police say, has brought high levels of risk, violence and exploitation to our communities.
The taskforce helps with the disruption of these county drugs lines as well as home-grown drug lines that pose a significant risk to communities or vulnerable individuals.
Taskforce lead, Detective Chief Inspector Jessica Milne, said: “Criminal county drugs lines activity has a devastating impact on young people, vulnerable adults and local communities.
“In order to achieve a holistic and systematic approach to combatting county drugs lines, the taskforce has been created.”
The taskforce aligns with the aims of the Home Office’s 10-year Harm to Hope Drug Strategy, which seeks to break the drug supply chain, deliver treatment and recovery services, and achieve a generational shift in demand for drugs.
The taskforce will help to close down county drug lines and deliver major and moderate disruption to organised crime groups.
It will also seek to increase the use of ancillary orders to further tackle illegal activity related to drugs.
DCI Milne added: “We want to utilise the four Ps: pursue, prepare, protect and prevent, to target and disrupt offenders as well as safeguarding those who are exploited.
“We want to make the Thames Valley a hostile environment for drugs activity.”
