Many perils faced in the drugs war (From Barry And District News)

Many perils faced in the drugs war

A HIGHLY-trained officer lines the 'rammit' apparatus up against the front door and prepares to force entry into a property believed to house drug suppliers.

But as the police move in looking for evidence of heroin it's what they don't find that causes concern.

It's 7.30am on Tuesday morning and I'm with one Divisional Drug Team on a dawn raid as part of Operation Arrowhead.

The residents of this semi-detached in the Buttrills are known to Barry police. There is one man and one woman, both aged 27 and both heroin addicts. But there is also a four-year-old daughter - and not a scrap of food in the house to feed her.

After the woman is arrested for possession of a Class A drug, Social Services are called because the living conditions are obviously not suitable for a child.

At the briefing, each member of the team was acutely aware they would be entering situations with a potential to get out of control.

Details of the exits from the properties about to be targeted, descriptions of the lay-out and any possible resistance they might expect are given. Detective Sergeant Steve Jennings told me: "We take every precaution when we conduct these operations. There is bound to be a certain level of aggression if you enter someone's house by force.

"It's not a perilous job, but there have been occasions where the homeowner takes the situation into his own hands.

"But the important thing is to bring the aggression under control quickly." One of the suspects in this raid uses drugs intravenously and police wear protective gear to sift through evidence in the house.

DS Jennings added: "We raid on the strength of intelligence gathered. Although we didn't find a sufficient quantity of drugs to charge her with supply, there was evidence of possession.

"Even though we didn't come away with what we expected this time, none of these raids are pointless. Our presence on the streets keeps the drug peddling trade in Barry right down to a minimum."