Police burst into a flat in Rhyl in an early morning raid in search of drugs.
The Daily Post joined officers for the latest part of Operation Damine, which is aimed at tackling drugs in the area
The swoop was carried out at a flat in Maes Gaer on the Bruton Park estate at around 8.30am this morning.
The warrant - executed under the Misuse of Drugs Act - forms part of Operation Damine, which has so far seen 16 people arrested and a cash and drugs haul worth £10,000 seized.
The Daily Post was invited out on the latest raid, where officers used a battering ram to force entry into the property.
Tha man inside had been sleeping on the couch and made no attempt to escape.
Police had to use torches to assist their search as the electricity meter had run out.
They found a large number of needles and paraphernalia for heroin use.
A drugs dog was also sent into the flat, but no substances were found at the address and no arrests were made.
DC Alex Smith from the Safer Neighbourhood Team described this morning’s activity as “positive”, and said it sends a message that the force is clamping down on the circulation of drugs in Rhyl.
It follows the success of an operation last Friday which saw police with sniffer dogs carrying out stop searches at Rhyl train station.
DC Smith said: “Operation Damine was set up around eight weeks ago to combat drugs, predominantly in Rhyl and across the coast, and the violence associated with them.
“The primary aims are to frustrate and disrupt criminalisation associated with drugs, and try to make it uncomfortable for those coming into North Wales with drugs.
“As a result of our activities in relation to this operation, we’ve made 16 arrests to date.
“We have remanded two people for drug-related offences and a number of others remain on bail pending the conclusion of those investigations.
“We’ve been executing a number of warrants, the latest of which was today, and in the address this morning we found a significant amount of drug paraphernalia including needles which were used to inject heroin.
“We made the area safe and a number of needles, sharps and other items are now safely disposed of.”
DC Smith said last week’s activity at Rhyl train station was supported by British Transport Police and North Wales and Cheshire Police Alliance, and saw sniffer dogs search people boarding or leaving the train.
“We had a lot of positive comments from members of the public and a lot of reassurance was issued during that exercise,” she added.
“A number of people were searched in connection with drugs.
“No arrests were made, but the reaction on Facebook has been so positive that the sergeant for the Safer Neighbourhoods Team would like to run that on a more regular basis.
“The work we are doing through Operation Damine is ongoing and will include warrants, stop searches and targeting individuals who cause the greatest harm within communities.”
Her colleague PC Dave Buckley said: “It sends out a message to those involved in criminality because, as soon as we start an operation like this, it keeps them guessing.
“We want people to know we won’t be going away.
“In the time that Damine’s been set up, we’ve seized £6,000 in cash and we estimate maybe £4,000-5,000 in class A drugs, so we are trying to make a significant impact.
“Every time we make seizures, we are disrupting the supply.
“The spiral of addiction is a very sad existence and drugs become people’s only focus to survive.
“But it’s the organised criminals that prey on vulnerable people, and this is how they make substantial amounts of money peddling their poison.”
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/watch-north-wales-police-raid-11509883
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