Hastings one of 5 areas in UK with highest drugs misuse rates

The Home Office revealed the news today (Wednesday, January 20) as Home Secretary Priti Patel and Health Secretary Matt Hancock announce a £148m new investment to cut crime and protect people from the scourge of illegal drugs.

The other areas alongside Hastings with some of the highest rates of drug misuse named by the Home Office are Blackpool, Middlesbrough, Norwich and Swansea Bay.

The Government announced that £28m is specifically being invested in these five areas into piloting Project ADDER, which stands for Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery.

It will bring together partners including the police, local councils and health services, and run for three financial years.

The funding will allow the police to target local gang leaders driving the drugs trade while better helping people to recover from addictions, the Home Office said.

The £148m package gives extra resources to law enforcement to dismantle organised criminal gangs and tackle the supply of drugs while delivering more money for drug treatment and recovery to help cut drug-related crime and the cycle of misuse and reoffending, the Home Office announced today.

The Government said it will double the funding available for law enforcement to take down and bring to justice county lines gangs and drug kingpins.

The £40m of new money to tackle county lines and drugs supply brings the total invested to £65m since November 2019, it said.

The Government said the funding has already seen more than 3,400 people arrested, more than 550 lines closed, drugs with a street value of £9m and £1.5m cash seized, and more than 770 vulnerable people safeguarded.

An extra £80m will also be invested in drug treatment services in England to give more support to offenders with drink and drug addictions, the Home Office added.

Chief Inspector Sarah Godley, district commander for Hastings and Rother, said: “Tackling drug-related harm is one of our key policing priorities in Hastings, and Project Adder will greatly support the work we already do in this area.

“Although traditionally our focus is on disrupting the supply of drugs into the town, and taking enforcement action against those found to be supplying drugs, safeguarding those who are vulnerable and at risk of exploitation from drug dealers is also important to us.

“We welcome the funding being given to Hastings and look forward to working on new and enhanced drug diversion and treatment initiatives with our partners to make the town a safer place for everyone.”

Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “I’m delighted that Sussex is directly benefitting from this new initiative.

“Investments made into Sussex Police over the last two years have enabled the introduction of the Tactical Enforcement Units to crack down on organised crime and disrupt county lines.

“This new funding will bolster that proactive policing approach but it’s main focus is to increase the drug treatment and recovery services available to addicts in the local area, helping people to break the cycle of addiction and offending, and get their lives back on track.

“My office looks forward to working with all local agencies in the roll-out of this project.”

Hastings and Rye MP Sally-Ann Hart said: “I am delighted to hear that Hastings will be the recipient of additional funding to help with the drug problems we have in our local area.

“It is also very encouraging to hear the intensive approach that Project Adder will take in targeting the criminal gang leaders and also the emphasis on enhanced treatment and recovery for those who have fallen into addiction and suffering from drug abuse.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I am determined to cut crime and make our streets safer, which is why we are recruiting 20,000 more police officers, toughening sentences and making sure the police and prisons have the powers and tools they need to clamp down on criminals and stop reoffending.

“But it is clear that drugs are a serious driver of the violence which devastates communities and robs young lives.

“That is why we must take action to cut off supply and cut the head off the snake by tackling the criminal gangs which exploit young people.

“We must also help people to get off drugs in the first place and that is why we are launching Project Adder, a new, targeted approach which will ramp up local enforcement, while at the same time diverting more people into recovery, backed up by the largest investment in treatment in 15 years.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “The Government’s work to tackle county lines drugs gangs has already resulted in thousands more people being arrested and hundreds more vulnerable people being safeguarded, but we must do more to tackle the underlying drivers behind serious violence.

“That is why today’s announcement will provide the largest investment in drugs treatment and support in 15 years, while also giving more resources to law enforcement so they can continue dismantling organised criminal gangs and tackling the supply of drugs.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Addiction and crime are inextricably linked and to truly break the cycle we must make sure people can access the help they need to get their lives back on track for good.”

As part of this package, £2.5m will also be invested in providing continuity of care for prisoners on release.

The Home Office said the money will also support offenders into treatment upon release from prison and fund additional detox beds and the life-saving overdose medicine, naloxone.

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