Priti Patel hails impact of pioneering scheme to cut drug crime in Wakefield

Project ADDER - which stands for Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery - has been running in the city for one year with the support of £1.67m of Home Office funding.

It has led to 65 arrests for drug possession and dealing and resulted in the seizure of more than £2m worth of drugs but has also seen more than 500 people referred to rehabilitation treatment.

Through the use of drug testing on arrest, police have been able to break up gangs and divert users into treatment, helping to dismantle the cycle of dependency and support users to turn their lives around.

Ms Patel said: “Illegal drugs devastate lives, destroy our communities and cost society billions.

“Gangs exploit young and vulnerable people to run their grubby trade and this Government will not allow this to continue.

“Through Project ADDER we are helping people in Wakefield caught in the despair of addiction build a new and brighter future, ridding the area of drug dealers and making the community safer for the future.”

Chief Inspector Chris Raby, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “Drugs cause immeasurable damage in our communities. They not only cause people physical harm and leave people vulnerable to exploitation, but they also contribute to anti-social behaviour and a general feeling of an area not being safe. Drug production and supply offences do not exist in isolation; it is telling how many weapons we have seized over the past year as a result of warrants executed in relation to drug offences.

“We have formed a new Neighbourhood Impact Team in Wakefield as part of the Project ADDER funding who have been responsible for taking drugs valued at more than £2m off our streets. It is not just about enforcement though, we have seen real investment in education and treatment services in the district. To make a long-term change, we need to help those already in need.”

Project ADDER now has sites in 13 areas across the country including Blackpool, Hastings, Middlesbrough, Norwich, Swansea Bay, Bristol, Newcastle, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Knowsley, Wirral and Liverpool City.

A total of £59m investment has been invested in the sites.

Cllr Maureen Cummings, Wakefield Council cabinet member for Communities, Poverty and Health Public Health and Culture, said: “Drugs wreck lives and the criminal behaviour associated with drugs has a seriously damaging impact on families and communities across the district.

“Drug dealers and organised crime groups prey on vulnerable people, bringing misery and making it hard for them to change their lives and escape the darkness of addiction.

“Over the last year we have seen a hugely positive change in the district. By tackling drug misuse head on and supporting people into recovery, we are changing lives for the better and helping them back to a sustainable life through positive peer networks, work training and employment opportunities.”