Specialist officers make arrests to combat serious crime on our roads

Officers made arrests, seized cash and drugs, and carried out vehicles checks as part of a joint operation with other forces.

Last month the Specialist Enforcement Unit (SEU) joined a collaborative effort to combat serious criminals exploiting the road network in Sussex.

The three-day operation aimed to target serious acquisitive crime, violent crimes, and County Lines drugs offences by making use of police technology and intelligence across forces.

SEU officers joined officers from Thames Valley Police, the Metropolitan Police, Surrey Police, Essex Police, Bedfordshire Police and the British Transport Police between 23 to 25 April.

Across these forces, 95 arrests were made and 15 weapons were seized, while there were also 38 drug confiscations and seizures, 65 vehicle seizures, and £69,000 in cash seized.

In Sussex, there were 15 arrests, and officers also carrying out a further 15 vehicle stop checks, with one vehicle seized.

Among those arrested were:

• A 31-year-old man on suspicion of rape in West Sussex
• A wanted 29-year-old man arrested in Horley who had failed to comply with a community order from the courts
• Two men for immigration offences 
• A 31-year-old man on suspicion of dangerous driving and drugs offences in Crawley 
• A 45-year-old man stopped in Worthing on suspicion of dealing class A drugs.

In the latter case, officers completed a search of a home address in Worthing and found a large quantity of suspected cocaine and thousands of pounds in cash.

SEU officers continue to patrol the roads in Sussex to target criminals suspected of high harm offences including violence, rape and sexual offences, robbery, and drug dealing.

Inspector Ollie Pullen said: “This operation demonstrates the strength of our intelligence sharing capabilities and what coordinated action across multiple force areas can achieve.

“We will continue to share intelligence and work alongside other forces and law enforcement agencies to tackle criminal activity taking place across county borders.

“I hope that communities in Sussex are reassured that we are targeting these criminals.

“We are determined to disrupt criminal networks that cause harm to our communities, and we continue to ask the public to report crime to us by calling 101 or reporting online.

“Alternatively, contact CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”