THERE have been 324 drug-related arrests so far this year in the ‘Somerset West’ area of Avon and Somerset which includes Bridgwater, Taunton, Wellington, Burnham and West Somerset.

Figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Bridgwater Mercury show that the number of arrests for drug-related offences, for both possession and intent to supply looking set to drop compared to the 528 recorded in 2017.

In terms of the types of drugs people are being caught with, cannabis significantly leads the way with 121 arrests for possession so far in 2018, and a further 15 arrests for intent to supply cannabis.

Elsewhere so far this year there have been 38 arrests for possession of cocaine, and eight for crack cocaine, 12 for heroin possession, and five for MDMA.

Police made a number of significant breakthroughs in county lines drug cases in 2017, which saw the number of arrests for drug dealing rise significantly higher than this year's tally.

In October 2017, a gang of 56 drug dealers were sentenced for selling cocaine and heroin on the streets of Bridgwater, Taunton and Glastonbury.

They were caught during a four month undercover police operation after concerns were raised by local residents about drug dealing and drug taking in the areas.

The defendants were drug runners, directing the undercover officers to the people who could supply them drugs or delivering the drugs themselves, known as cuckooing or running county lines.

Main dealers sent ‘line managers’ into the towns where they recruited these local residents, some of whom were addicts themselves, to deliver the drugs.

So far in 2018 there have been a total 57 arrests for supplying and possession with the intent to supply in Somerset West, compared to 172 arrests for the whole of 2017.

This in turn is significantly higher than the 88 arrests for the same charges recorded in 2016.

When added with the arrests for possession, there were a total of 456 arrests.

For information on reporting drug use and dealing, visit avonandsomerset.police.uk/advice/neighbourhood-and-community/drug-offences/.