Residents of George Street in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, have described a daily struggle with 'blatant' drug dealing and open drug use, just a two-minute walk from Christ Church C of E Primary school. The street was the site of a police raid last week that led to the arrest of two individuals on suspicion of dealing crack cocaine.
Residents share CCTV evidence of drug activity
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, provided CCTV footage showing people walking down a dead-end alleyway that leads to a garage, which they say is frequently used by drug dealers and users. 'The brashness of the drug taking is shocking. They are sitting on kerbs out of their heads,' the resident said. They recalled an incident a few weeks ago where a man 'completely off his head' sat in the street for 15 minutes before moving on.
The resident expressed concern for local children: 'There are kids playing on the street. We really care about these kids and they’re on the street running around, playing and doing the normal stuff that kids do. They are adorable and very polite and we are very annoyed as a community that they have all this drug taking and dealing going on around them.'
Glass pipe found after New Year's Eve incident
Another resident reported seeing a group of women who appeared to be under the influence of drugs on New Year's Eve. After they left, the resident found a glass pipe believed to have been used for smoking crack cocaine. 'These girls were all over the shop. One of them had tripped and I saw her pipe on the floor. I picked it up and it sent a shock wave, which felt like an electric shock, up my arm. It was probably whatever the chemical was inside touching my skin,' they said. The pipe was later deposited in a police donation bin.
Two dry houses in the street, residents say
The street is understood to be home to two dry houses, where recovering addicts reside as part of rehabilitation programs. Residents noted that alleyways behind the houses are commonly used for drug deals, though some deals occur openly on the road. They said they maintain close contact with Avon and Somerset Police, North Somerset Council, and local Labour MP Dan Aldridge, describing all three as 'brilliant' in their responses. However, they added, 'We feel that we have to report it several times a year before they have the time and the resources to come round and tackle it.'
Police arrest two in crack cocaine warrant
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that a man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine following a Misuse of Drugs Act warrant executed on June 17. Sergeant Joe Pitman said: 'We were able to apply for a warrant following information shared with us by the local community. I am extremely grateful to those people who have come forward. Without the support of the community, we would not have been able to take such positive action. We will continue to relentlessly pursue and disrupt those that push Class A drugs and engage in persistent and harmful anti-social behaviour within the town.'
Metro has contacted North Somerset Council and Mr Aldridge for comment. The residents hope that continued reporting and police action will lead to a safer environment for the community, particularly the children attending the nearby school.
