Almost £3m in illegal drugs has been seized over the last two years by Northumbria Police as part of a programme to disrupt drug dealers and help users into recovery.
Project ADDER is a scheme launched by the Home Office, and Newcastle was chosen as a pilot area. Since then, working in partnership with Newcastle City Council and its partners in drug and alcohol services, the police has seized £2,909,540 in drugs, arrested 960 people and carried out 157 search warrants.
Northumbria Police has also seized £495,619 in cash - while of 1,208 people drug-tested on arrival in custody, 609 have tested positive for illegal substances. Over the period, the city council has increased staff working in recovery services and boosted the number of people accessing treatment and support.
