POLICE seized a “large quantity of cannabis, vapes and alcohol” in raids on three convenience stores in Fishponds.
A “multi-agency agency operation” saw police officers and licensing officials link up with council trading standards, HM Revenue & Customs and Home Office staff on Tuesday.
Details of the day of action were revealed by police today, although they have not confirmed which premises were targeted in the raids.
Police say 74 boxes of vapes and 617 individual bags of cannabis (pictured above), with an estimated street value of between £6,000 and £10,000, were seized from two “suspicious vehicles” parked near one of the shops.
They also seized 133 crates of lager (below) and dozens of boxes of vapes (bottom) from the premises.
A police spokesperson said the operation took place to target “exploitation and criminality”.
The spokesperson said: “No arrests have yet been made, but an investigation continues.
“All three outlets were approached simultaneously during the operation which focused on adherence to trading regulation, product safety, stock legitimacy, labour practices, while looking for signs of exploitation and criminality.
‘Continue reporting concerns’
“The operation was linked to the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which is a government programme designed to enhance visible policing in communities across England and Wales to address anti-social behaviour and increase crime prevention.”
Neighbourhood Inspector Richard Jones said: “This was a hugely successful operation which demonstrates how we are continuing to work closely with our partners in our communities to make sure businesses are operating safely and legally, and we are committed to act on community intelligence and information.
“There has been a large increase in the number of convenience stores in inner city areas, and we often hear concerns from members of our communities around those selling vapes and e-cigarettes, not to mention ongoing issues over the use and supply of controlled substances.
“We encourage residents to continue reporting such concerns to us, because we listen to them, and it is important we understand the scale of a problem, so we know what resources are needed to tackle it.”
‘We’re coming after you’ – councillor
Council public health and communities policy chair Stephen Williams said: “This operation sends a clear message to those in our city who think they can flout the rules and put the public at risk – we’re coming after you. We’re working closely with our partners in the police, acting on good intelligence that’s often coming direct from residents, and increasingly in a position to take decisive action.
“I’m grateful to all involved in this case for their dedication to stamping out these illegal activities in our city and for supporting our efforts to preserve public health and safety.”
