IT was 9am on Thursday, June 25 and Operation Franklin was about to be launched on the back streets of Peterhead.
Around a dozen plain clothes and uniformed Grampian Police officers were preparing to storm two flats in the centre of town as part of a major crackdown on North-east drug dealers.
Following close behind in an unmarked press van, I accompanied of
ficers to a secret address in the town's Maiden Street, identified through police intelligence as a key source of street level drug dealing.
Approaching at a run from nearby streets, Grampian Police swooped on the block of flats with the media in tow, depending on the element of surprise to catch residents unawares.
After entering the address officers launched simultaneous raids on two adjacent flats in the block. Close by in the stairwell, the Buchanie heard shouts of 'Police!' from officers and cries of surprise as residents were disturbed from their morning routines.
Officers are shadowed by the media at the early-morning raids in Peterhead's Maiden Street
Shortly after securing the flats, officers led specially trained police drugs dogs into the two properties to sniff out any illegal substances.
As a result of the meticulously planned Peterhead drugs bust last Thursday two men, both aged 28, were arrested.
The raids took place less than 24 hours after officers seized £2,000 worth of heroin at another address in Peterhead on Wednesday night. A 19-year-old woman appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court on Thursday morning charged in connection with the seizure.
The Maiden Street raids were part of a wider operation to target drug dealers in the towns of Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Banff, involving around 60 plain clothes and uniformed officers armed with search warrants for properties throughout the North-east.
Over the course of the day Grampian Police seized £15,000 worth of cannabis and heroin and arrested four people in the undercover operation.
Police drugs dogs were used at the two Peterhead properties
As a result of the raids a 30-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were expected to appear at Peterhead Sheriff Court last Friday, charged in connection with a cannabis seizure with an estimated value of £10,000.
Police hope that the crackdown on street level drug dealers will have a direct impact on reducing the supply of drugs in North-east communities.
According to Grampian Police 13 people have died over the past 18 months as a result of drug abuse in Aberdeenshire.
Commenting on the success of the raids Detective Inspector Stewart Kidd, who spearheaded the operation, said a strong message had been delivered to drug dealers across the North-east.
DI Kidd said: "I'm delighted with the efforts made by officers today and I believe these raids will have a direct impact on the availability of Class A and other drugs in Aberdeenshire communities.
"Grampian Police will not tolerate this type of behaviour and will continue to work with the local community and our partners to identify and robustly deal with anyone who seeks to profit from this trade.
"Grampian Police will continue to target those within our communities who choose to deal and distribute controlled drugs and I would like to reassure members of the public that we are doing all we can to ensure that such individuals are brought to justice.
"High profile patrols will be operating in the community and I would urge anyone who has information regarding drug dealing activity to speak to the officers and pass on what they know. We remain committed to making our communities safer and reducing the heartache caused by the scourge of class A controlled drugs and those who sell them."
Officers hope to involve the Peterhead community further in tackling the problem of drug abuse, and high-visibility patrols and house-to-house visits will be carried out in the wake of operations to re-assure the public and listen to their concerns.
Commenting on Operation Franklin Aberdeenshire Chief Inspector Gerry Cronin said: "We have been listening to what people in Buchan and Banff and Buchan have told us.
"Residents say they're sick and tired of certain individuals causing misery in these areas and the anti-social behaviour that comes with drug dealing."
