Sheriff Street drugs strike - 'dealers' arrested in Volkswagen Golf

In dramatic scenes, officers cornered the suspected drug dealers in a silver Volkswagen Golf at Sherriff Street Industrial Estate at 8am this morning.

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The unmarked black BMW, part of a convoy of police vehicles, sped in behind them, blocking off all chance of escape as officers rushed towards the vehicle, one detective taking hold of a hooded passenger. 

Within seconds the suspects, shock still visible on their faces, were surrounded.

SUSPECT: A man is arrested in Sherriff Street industrial estate (Image: Suspect arrested in Sherriff Street industrial estate. Photo: James Connell)

All morning officers kept tabs on the movements of the suspected dealers, believed to be bringing class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, into Worcester from the West Midlands as part of a County Lines operation.

The suspects were from Wednesbury and West Bromwich. 

SWOOP: An unmarked BMW cut off the suspects in the Golf. Photo: James Connell (Image: STRIKE: The Volkswagen Golf was blocked in by this unmarked car. Photo: James Connell)

Officers shouted 'there's two in the back!' and 'hands, hands!' as the three suspects were quickly surrounded, plain clothes and uniformed officers rushing in to handcuff the suspects and prevent the loss - or hurried disposal - of any evidence.

Some officers had glass hammers for cracking their way into the car. But, in the end, they were not necessary - the suspects did not put up a fight.

One was told by officers he would be strip searched back at the station only to reply: "You can do it here if you want?"

SUDDEN: This suspect was cornered against a metal fence as police descended. Photo: James Connell (Image: SUDDEN: This masked suspect is arrested on the industrial estate. Photo: James Connell)

DI Dave Knight, of Proactive CID, said that drugs 'bring misery to the people of Worcester' and repeated his team's commitment to put the dealers out of business.

The three suspects, two aged 20 and one aged 18, were initially arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

A search of the car began and the drugs were ultimately found in the roof lining after veteran West Mercia officer, DC Alex Pullen, followed a hunch and pulled out a bag containing the drugs. 

Officers described the drugs found as a 'large amount of suspected heroin and crack cocaine'. However, tests will have to be performed on the seized haul at Worcester Police Station in Castle Street, Worcester before detectives can be certain.

A suspected dealer line phone - the mobile believed to be used to organise and advertise the sale of drugs - has also been seized.

Now that phone will be interrogated in the hope it can provide evidence in the ongoing case.

The arrests were made in what is now effectively a building site for the £150 million Sherriff Gate project, a symbol for many of a dynamic, revitalised city.

Billed by developers as the 'largest regeneration project in the history of Worcester', the project started at the end of July. 

In the future, it will bring hundreds of new apartments (including affordable housing), a hotel, gym, multi-storey car park, food and beverage outlets, a multiscreen cinema and ten-pin bowling to the city. Today, however, it was the scene of yet more arrests in the seemingly never-ending war against drugs.