Police use stop and search to arrest 16-year-old with £2,000 drugs stash in Northampton town centre

Police arrested a 16-year-old suspected drugs dealer following a routine stop and search in Northampton town centre.

Officers found the teenager, from Luton, and a 22-year-old Londoner had more than 200 wraps of Class A drugs, suspected to be heroin and crack cocaine worth around £2,000.

They were both arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and have since been released on bail.

The stop and search was one of 23 which uncovered offences since Northamptonshire Police launched Operation Challenge last month, clamping down on town centre crime focusing on shoplifting and drugs.

Officers conduct regular patrols and searches in the town to both tackle and prevent crime.

Seven people have already been arrested for shoplifting as a result, including two who appeared in court earlier this month charged with taking nearly £950 of beauty products from Boots.

Mirel-Iulian Catrinoiu, of no fixed abode, and Bodgan Alexandrue Sima, of St Georges Street, were collared as they tried to leave the store with a total of £948 worth of blush, lipstick and creams. The pair were fined a total of £784.

Other offences ranged from £410 worth of goods stolen from Morrisons and B&M and a woman arrested after stealing from Savers in Gold Street.

Superintendent Kev Mulligan, who is in charge of policing in the west of the county, said: “Gone are the days when we would simply react to incidents. Now we are actively looking for the people who blight our streets committing crime and we will continue to stop them in their tracks and bring them to justice.

“We have a zero-tolerance approach which comes straight from the top of the Force and I know that our proactive policing model has been received very well by members of the public and businesses alike who are sick and tired of the small minority affecting their ability to enjoy living in Northampton.

“My team are relentless and I am hugely proud to lead such a talented and dedicated group of individuals who are absolutely committed to making Northampton as safe as it can possibly be.

“From shoplifting to Class A drugs, we just won’t stand for it, and are now best positioned to tackle it head on. There are no plans to let up – more than 60 intelligence logs have been submitted and we are steadfast in our desire to carry on in this vein, not taking our foot off the gas and bringing the fight directly to the criminals.”