More than 400 weapons and £800,000 seized from Notts criminals in planned raids this yea​​​​​​​r

From January 1 to December 8, Operation Reacher teams, including the one in Broxtowe, have made 1,776 arrests, carried out 678 drug seizures which includes large scale cannabis grows, and taken 405 weapons including machetes and samurai swords out of the hands of criminals.

They have also taken £772,000 of cash from criminals attempting to live a lavish life through crime.

In just one week in November, the teams managed to recover £2.5m of drugs by raiding two properties.

They have also seized 575 vehicles, 49 motorbikes and 14 quad bikes which were a danger to other road users.

Chief inspector Chris Pearson, who is responsible for city neighbourhood policing, said: “Law-abiding members of the community – who work hard to support themselves and their families – should not have to live next to those who attempt to make a living from crime.

“Neighbourhood policing including Operation Reacher will continue to wake up our criminal fraternity, not with an early morning knock but by an early morning warrant, taking your door off its hinges.

“Drugs blight communities. Drug dealers bring a host of problems to the areas in which they operate including violence, intimidation, harassment, and anti-social behaviour.

“The 405 weapons we have recovered means we have taken away 405 opportunities for criminals to use them.

“Drug dealers also exploit some of the most vulnerable members of our society including children to carry out their dirty work.

“Young people may be enticed by money or new clothes and trainers as a reward for their work, but this is just a smokescreen.

“Violence, threats of violence, being escorted to different parts of the country and ultimately having their childhood robbed is the harsh reality.

“Cannabis grows in residential properties are also major fire risks, with bypassed electricity, which endangers the life of anyone living on the same street.

“We are only as good as the intelligence we receive from the community, and I want to thank them for engaging with us throughout the year.”