OPERATION CRACKDOWN MARKS 120TH CLOSURE ORDER IN HACKNEY

On the 14th September, Operation Crackdown was successfully granted its 120th Closure Order on an address in Evergreen Square Hackney, as a result of class A drugs being used and sold on the premises. Since its inception in 2004, council flats, garages, private properties and businesses have all been raided by the CrackDown Project, in a bid to rid Hackney of Class A drugs and associated incidents of anti social behaviour and crime.

This latest result was achieved through evidence gathered from the Ion Track Itemiser, an effective technology that can immediately detect whether drugs are present or have been present on a premises. In this case, high readings of cocaine were detected within the property.

The Itemiser is generally used at airports and other public venues to detect trafficking of illegal drugs and explosives. Since its introduction to Hackney over two years ago, it has helped to collect extensive evidence, which has led to a substantial amount of closure orders being granted to residential premises.

Acting Police Sergeant Richard Lewington from the Hackney CrackDown Project commented on the closure: "This 120th closure order is a significant milestone for Operation Crackdown and could not have been achieved without the hard work of all our partners including Hackney Homes, Hackney Council and the dedicated teams of Safer Neighbourhoods officers across the borough, who enforce these closure orders on their wards. By working in partnership we have been able to ensure that crack houses in Hackney are closed swiftly and problems such as homelessness and drug use tackled more effectively."

Cllr Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said: "We hope that by shutting this house we are sending the message out loud and clear - hard drugs will not be tolerated on our streets and estates. This piece of work goes to show that a well-organised partnership between residents and the authorities is the key to cracking down on drugs that can wreck lives and neighbourhoods."

Call Crackdown Project Team in confidence to report a suspected crackhouse on 020 8356 3333, text 07976 911 165 or email crackdown@hackney.gov.uk