Police crackdown disrupts drugs network on estate

A major policing operation to rid an estate of known criminals and tackle serious crime has made it a "difficult" place to buy drugs, police have said.

The crackdown, part of the Safer Saffron campaign, targeted long‑standing criminal activity on the Saffron Lane estate in Leicester and shut down five county lines supplying drugs across county borders.

The scheme piloted the Home Office's "Clear Hold Build" method, which included clearing estates of criminals, boosting police presence, then building a "strong and resilient community".

Leicester City Council said the estate had seen a 14% drop in overall crime since the work began in 2024.

Government figures show the suburb is the 172nd most deprived area in the UK, out of more than 32,000 areas.

South Leicester commander at Leicestershire Police, Insp Paul Crewe, said he was "proud" of the work by police and partners on "The Saff".

He said: "We had five county lines running on the estate when Clear, Hold, Build started and now there are none, and word on the street is that it is now difficult to buy drugs on the estate."

He added that as work was now moving on to the 'Build' phase of the Home Office-developed initiative, the support of residents on the estate was vital.

"If we don't know about crime, issues and concerns, we can't tackle them," he said.

"Whilst we've done really well, we're conscious we're not going to sit back on our laurels now, it's about maintaining the momentum."

The work started with a week-long intensive operation in July 2024 with a focus on organised crime.

Step two then saw county lines, violent crime and weapon possession targeted.

Now, partners are working to build "a strong and resilient community" with a mixture of ongoing enforcement, higher-visibility patrols, and education.

Leicester City Council said that since July 2024, 23 people had been arrested for a range of offences, weapons including a pistol and 15 blades were seized, and warrants have been executed on16 properties.

Deputy city mayor Elly Cutkelvin said: "A lot of this crime goes on behind closed doors but it does add to the look and feel of the area, and there's related anti-social behaviour and things like that.

"This is something that's really made a difference. Policing on the street really matters to communities, having boots on the ground.

"Every area has its problems, we're not pretending it's crime free, but it adds to the confidence in the community."

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.