Hastings drugs arrests made after tip-offs from public

Police said officers were conducting a routine patrol in Vicarage Road and Plynlimmon Road after receiving reports from members of the public of suspected drug dealing.

After noticing some suspicious behaviour outside a property in Vicarage Road, police investigated and came across two people who they detained under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

A room was searched and approximately 30 wraps of suspected Class A drugs were found and seized.

Police said the two people - a 23-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman - were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.

The woman was released under investigation pending further enquiries, while the man was released on conditional bail until July 27.

In a separate case yesterday police said officers had reason to believe a man wanted on recall to prison was frequenting the area, based on information previously received from the public.

Officers made some enquiries and were able to find and arrest the man in nearby St George’s Road.

Police said he was also arrested on suspicion of five counts of burglary other than dwelling, and one of fraud by false representation.

He was released under investigation for those offences, but has now been recalled to prison.

Sergeant Simon Barden said: “Our officers did some great work in apprehending three people in the space of 45 minutes, but this just shows the value of receiving reports from members of the public.

“Often the people in our communities are our eyes and ears on the ground, and we take the information they give us very seriously and will always look to act upon it.”

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.