Police in Newquay have gone to court to close down a second ‘crack den’ in the town.

In November officers secured a closure order on a property on Hawkins Road on the Mayfield estate following reports of antisocial behaviour and drug dealing.

It was the first time Newquay police obtained a closure order for a property.

On Monday (February 11), Newquay police secured its second closure order following a hearing at Truro Magistrates’ Court. This time a property in Hawke Close, off Crantock Street, has been closed down.

The full closure order means the property will be closed completely to any person for three months.

Officers received numerous complaints from concerned locals regarding drug dealing, drug misuse and antisocial behaviour at the property, which police say is directly linked to a county lines drugs supply network.

Inspector Dave Meredith, of Newquay police, says the area will be “a lot safer” now the property has been closed.

The property is located at 3 Hawke Close

“Unfortunately, Newquay is not immune to the national crisis of county lines and Class A drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin which affect the whole community, not just the drug users themselves,” he said. “I am delighted at the court’s decision to issue a full closure order on this premises.

What is county lines?

The term county lines has been used to explain a rising problem which has virtually sprung up overnight and involves city-based drug dealers shifting heroin, crack and cocaine to rural locations.

Organised gangs use children and vulnerable adults to set up drug dealing operations far away from their city bases, often in rural areas, where there is less resistance from other dealers and a lower risk of being known by police.

Using a combination of addiction, grooming and violence, the city gangs first recruit vulnerable teenagers and adults as couriers, before sending them to rural patches.

The couriers are then tasked with seeking out local drug users by giving them free samples, and to establish themselves inside the home of a drug user or vulnerable person in a practice known as 'cuckooing'.

The dealers target and then exploit the person's vulnerability and use the home as their base of operations. Once in situ, they sell drugs via dedicated mobile phone numbers or ‘lines’.

“This legislation is not used lightly, and the case was only taken to court due to compelling evidence of drug misuse and antisocial behaviour linked to the address.

“Class A drug supply and use will always be dealt with robustly by Newquay police. The issue of this full closure order reflects the outstanding partnership work that has taken place between the police, Cornwall Council, LiveWest Housing and local residents.

Piles of decaying rubbish and debris spread all over the floor inside the Tolcarne Road property
Inside a Newquay drug den

“We will continue to target drug dealers and premises involved in drug misuse and work with our community to make Newquay a safer place for all.”

PC Alex Allen, neighbourhood beat manager for Newquay, added: “I would like to thank the community of Hawke Close, Cornwall Council’s antisocial behaviour caseworker Sarah Dundon and housing officer Kirsti Challenger, of LiveWest Housing, for their support in keeping Newquay safe.

“We can only combat county lines and reduce the effect drugs have in the town with the assistance of the local community.”

Anyone who suspects any suspicious drug related behaviour should report it to police via 101. You can also do so anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 11.

PC Allen added: “This closure order is a stark warning to those people who target the vulnerable and those who deal drugs from their own home or others.

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“By allowing drug misuse, supply and associated crime from your home, you are at risk of it being closed by police under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.”