downsmail.co.uk


Police target drug gangs moving in from capital


GANGS of drug dealers are tar- geting towns in Kent – including Maidstone – in ameticulously or- ganised expansion of operations which have their origins in the capital. More than 80 sophisticated net-


works of criminals are suspected of spreading their trade into the Home Counties, employing busi- ness-like sales and marketing ploys to drum up new customers. The gangs enter new territories


with business cards, travelling salespeople, direct text-messaged marketing and ‘introductory of- fers’ on their wares, according to one report in a national newspa- per.


Four main groups, says the re-


port, appear to be targeting Kent: Shower, Younger PDC, Woolwich Boys and Gipset. The dealers are becoming prolific


in a string of towns within easy reach of the capital, such as Ox- ford, Cambridge, Guildford, Epsom, Crawley and Salisbury. But they are also known to have started to ply their trade in Maid- stone, Sevenoaks, TunbridgeWells and Rochester.


Last summer, Kent Police launched Operation Jupiter, a team created to target organised crime gangs attempting to supply drugs and intimidate vulnerable people in parts of Kent. The creation of Operation Jupiter signals an increased focus by Kent Police on emerging criminal gangs, whose members often travel into Kent from areas outside of the county, particularly London. Although Jupiter was launched


to tackle the apparent rise in activ- ity in north Kent, Kent Police ac- knowledges there are other significant problems in Maidstone and other towns, particularly Tun- bridgeWells. Chief Superintendent Adrian


Futers said at the time: “Our initial focus will be to crack down hard on those trying to sell drugs and who criminally exploit the vulner- able,which can have a devastating impact on our communities. “We are aware there is a signifi-


cant element of drug dealing which has resulted from people travelling into north Kent. Offenders are often from London and are part of a larger drug-dealing network.


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STAPLEHURST MOWERS LTD Sales, Service , Spares and Repairs Of Garden Machinery


Official dealer www.mitoxgm.co.uk 01580 893950 staplehurstmowers@hotmail.co.uk “We are continuing to work very


hard to identify those we believe are trying to sell drugs in our towns and if you are planning to commit crime there is a very high chance we already know who you are and my of- ficers will ar- rest you.” Tunbridge


Wells Chief Inspector Dave Pate (left) said: “One of the problems we have identi-


fied over the past two years has been caused by dealers travelling in to Kent from places such as Lon- don and who have attempted to sell class A substances including cocaine and heroin. “What is pleasing is that the


courts are supporting our hard work. In this time, they have handed down sentences totalling 119 years.” The exact number of arrests and convictions for drug offences in the Maidstone area has been requested by the Downs Mail.


REVIEW


News


Not the end for


Max and Ivan MAIDSTONE hosted some of the most strange and inventive com- edy around when double act Max and Ivan came to the Exchange Theatre. The pair opened with a series of comedy sketches before perform- ing their award-winning show The End, which tells the surreal story of a seaside town facing annihilation as the local nuclear re-processing plantmelts down. A small but enthusiastic crowd


was pressed into action, with one member of the audience being called upon to provide lines for the show and another being co-opted into a karaoke performance. The show has played successfully


at the Edinburgh Festival where it was nominated as best comedy show.


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Maidstone and Malling's No.1 Newspaper Maidstone South June 2016 29


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