A DEDICATED team of Surrey Police officers have arrested 33 people so far as part of a new initiative called Operation Viking to disrupt cross-border drug dealing.

As part of Op Viking officers have been proactively patrolling the streets to crackdown on dealers travelling to Surrey to commit crime and as well as carrying out stop searches on the county’s roads with the help of specially trained drugs dogs and Automatic Number Plate Recognition vans.

Since October the Op Viking team have been responsible for 33 arrests relating to drug and gang violence of which eight have been charged, two cautioned, one summoned and a sentencing of four years for possession with intent to supply.

They have also seized a high number of phones, £15,000 in cash and Class A drugs including cocaine and heroin, crushed three cars and seized another for forfeiture, and taken four knives off the streets.

Drug dealing across county lines is a wider national issue whereby dealers will form criminal networks to sell illegal drugs across borders to as many people as possible.

Surrey Police Detective Chief Inspector Sailesh Limbachia said: “The message to drug dealers is very simple from us – we are after you, we don’t want you in our county and if you come here you will be arrested.

“We won’t tolerate the kind of culture that this brings and have been working hard to eradicate it already with a number of arrests made in recent months.

“This work is going to continue to make Surrey as uncomfortable as possible for drug dealers to operate in and make it the safest it can be for our residents.

“A high visibility police presence can often be unsettling for the public but I hope you can be reassured that we have been taking action, and are working hard again at Merstham train station to further disrupt criminal networks.

“Getting involved in gang culture can have serious and potentially devastating consequences, with dealers often not afraid to use violence.

“Unfortunately there are people who choose to live this lifestyle in our communities and are often themselves vulnerable and at risk of exploitation by dealers from outside the county.

“If you see any activity that you deem to be suspicious, or know of drug dealing in your community, please tell us. However if you do not want to talk to the police you can contact Crimestoppers in complete anonymity by calling 0800 555111.”