Two men were arrested on suspicion of dealing class A drugs

Two men were arrested on suspicion of dealing class A drugs by the newly established safer estates police team.

It is the latest in a series of successes for the team of 20 officers, joint funded by Barking and Dagenham Council and Barking and Dagenham Police.

Officers carried out a stop and search on a car in Barking on July 26 because the driver was acting suspiciously. Nothing was found, but later in the day further checks showed that the car had previously been involved in alleged drug dealing.

Later that afternoon the same vehicle was seen in Mark’s Gate. Again the circumstances were suspicious and the driver pulled away when police approached.

It drove into a side road and police discovered 60 wraps of what is believed to be heroin and crack cocaine inside the car.

Two men were arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with attempt to supply. They are currently on police bail pending further enquiries.

The safer estates police team made 39 arrests in June. Other recent successes and operations include an arrest for suspected robbery in Heathway, five arrests for allegedly shining laser pens at helicopter pilots in Longbridge Road, weapons sweeps in Gascoigne, Althorne Way and Mark’s Gate, and burglary patrols in Thames View Estate.

The team was launched in the spring to add extra policing support to Barking and Dagenham’s council estates and housing stock

Inspector Richard Thomas said: “Drugs and drug related crime are a blight on the community that can have a very negative affect on the quality of life for local residents. The Estates Team will continue in their efforts to tackle both the sale and use of drugs and any other crime on our estates.”