Police charge 13 people with drug offences as part of Operation Fortress
Police in Southampton have today charged 13 people with drug offences after executing 26 warrants across Southampton, London and Liverpool. Eighteen people were arrested in total yesterday after the raids as part of Operation Fortress, an initiative that focuses on restricting the supply of class A drugs in Southampton to protect communities from drug-related activity and protect vulnerable people from drug-related harm. Ayub Aden, aged 27 from Winchfield Close, Southampton has been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and has since been held on remand and will appear at Southampton Crown Court on May 27. Ethan Brown, aged 20 from Canute House, Kings Street, Southampton has charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and has since been held on remand and will appear at Southampton Crown Court on May 27. Steven Donnelly, aged 41 from Old Northam Road, Southampton has been charged with permit use of premises for supply of heroin, permit use of premises for supply of crack cocaine, and supplying heroin and has been held on remand and will appear at Southampton Crown Court on May 27. Shane Kimber, aged 22 from Firtree Court, West End has been charged with supplying heroin and supplying crack cocaine. He has been held on remand and will appear at Southampton Crown Court on May 27. Shaquille Wilding, aged 19 from Desborough Road, Eastleigh has been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine. He has been held on remand and will appear at Southampton Crown Court on May 27. Montel Graham, aged 18 from Howell Close, Southampton has been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine. He has been held on remand and will appear at Southampton Crown Court on May 27. Michael Scott, aged 19 from Hendy Court, Selby Place, Southampton has been charged with supplying heroin and supplying crack cocaine and will appear at Southampton Magistrates Court on May 26. Sofia Clarke, aged 18 from Sedbergh Road, Southampton has been charged with supplying crack cocaine and supplying heroin and will appear at Southampton Magistrates Court on May 26. A 17-year-old girl from Southampton has been charged with supplying heroin and supplying crack cocaine and will appear at Southampton Youth Court on May 16. Frank Nserko, aged 22, from Albury Court, Mitcham, Surrey has been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine. He will appear before Southampton Magistrates Court tomorrow, April 28. Joshua Whitter, aged 23, from White Star Place, Southampton has been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine. He will also appear before Southampton Magistrates Court tomorrow, April 28. A 14-year-old boy from Surrey has been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and will appear at Southampton Magistrates Court tomorrow, April 28. A 17-year-old boy from London has been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and will appear at Southampton Magistrates Court tomorrow, April 28. Amongst the total arrested, four men aged between 23 and 27 from Liverpool were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and have since been bailed until July 6. A 25-year-old woman from Surrey was also arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs and has since been bailed until June 9. A 17-year-old boy from London and a 24-year-old man from Southampton have been arrested today, April 27 as part of the operation. Detective Inspector Sion Margrie from the Serious Crime Proactive Team said: “Specialist officers across the country played a key part in this operation. We used public order trained officers, dog units, neighbourhood policing teams, intelligence officers and safeguarding teams to ensure thorough investigations from start to finish, leaving no stone unturned. “These operations are not only designed to arrest and charge, but to identify people who are on the periphery of crime and vulnerable to exploitation in regards to drug-related activity, addiction and drug supply. Only through utilising our specialist skills and those of our partners are we able to achieve this. “Nearly 700 officers from Hampshire Constabulary, Merseyside Police, the Metropolitan Police Service, South East Regional Organised Crime Unit and the National Crime Agency contributed to this operation yesterday with a clear objective, to protect vulnerable people. “We will continue to make Southampton a hostile environment for criminals who come here and cause harm, and we will make sure we help bring communities closer together to feel safer and free from the fear of crime.” If you are concerned about drug-related activity, email us at [email protected].police.uk or call 101
