Police Reports

This page is reserved for Police reports on special operations.

POLICE REPORT August 2012

Operation Bastion

Months of intelligence gathering and surveillance work by undercover officers and executing search warrants across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot went into the crackdown — and resulted in more than 40 arrests in what police described as the "dismantling" of an alleged organised crime gang.

Bastion saw officers making arrests in Morriston, Penlan, Townhill, Waunarlwydd, Sketty Park, Sandfields, Neath, Port Talbot and Aberavon as well as in Merseyside and the West Midlands.

Superintendent Phil Davies, head of operational policing in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, said: "Vital in all this has been information from the public as part of the Heroin Ruins Lives campaign, which has enabled us to target our efforts more effectively and infiltrate the gangs — and I would urge people to continue to come forward."

Some 43 people have been arrested so far, with 41 of those charged with supply and conspiracy offences.

Of the 43 people arrested 4 males and 1 female were from the Neath East and Neath North wards. Together the 5 have been charged with a total of 18 offences of supplying heroin and being concerned in the supply of heroin whereby they either sold or facilitated the sale of heroin to undercover police officers.

Court cases are expected later in the year.

Bastion began with a major surveillance operation in February, which led South Wales Police to seek the help of Merseyside Police.

Superintendent Davies said: "We are confident we have dismantled one major crime group but we cannot afford to be complacent.

"Drug dealing underlies a lot of other criminality, and it impacts on every community — we are determined to drive it out of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot."