A MAN has been arrested after specialist police officers conducted an early morning raid in response to suspected exploitation and drugs crimes.
Officers from Essex Police’s North Disruptor and Raptor teams, alongside a dog-handler, executed a warrant in Clacton this morning, as well as in Eastbourne.
During the co-ordinated searches, permitted under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, phones, SIM cards, memory sticks, cash and designer watches were found.
The force also seized an electronic stun gun, cannabis growing and manufacturing equipment, and cannabis edibles from the two properties.
Following the raid a 35-year-old man was arrested in Old Road, Clacton, on suspicion of modern slavery offences and for being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
In Susan’s Road, Eastbourne, in East Sussex, a 29-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were also arrested on suspicion of the same offences.
The investigation is onging.
PC Rob Brandon, of the North Disruptor team, has now urged members of the public to continue raising concerns over suspected drugs offences to the police.
He said: “Violence and other serious crimes, which cause harm to vulnerable people and the communities they live in, are often associated with drugs.
“We focus on identifying, investigating and tackling these crimes and related anti-social behaviour but we need information from the public to help us do so.
“Please tell us what you know about criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in your area.
“Car number plates, names, CCTV and doorbell images are particularly helpful but any information related to crime and criminal activity may be useful to us.
“Please don’t assume we already know.”
A spokesman for Essex Police has now stressed the importance of the force’s specialist teams in tackling crimes such as this one.
He added: “We have three Disruptor Teams covering our county, which work with other local and specialist teams to keep communities safe and bring offenders to justice.
“But they can’t continue this good work without information and we rely on you, the public, to help us so we can continue to help people, keep you safe and target criminality.”
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