Health chiefs are encouraging people struggling with drug addiction to seek help and try to take back control of their lives.

It follows a major operation led by West Midlands Police and supported by the City of Wolverhampton Council on Thursday (14 July) to disrupt the supply of drugs in the Whitmore Reans area of Wolverhampton.

A series of early morning raids at 8 properties around Whitmore Reans marked the start of Operation Eliminate, a long term campaign designed to remove a "significant quantity" of illegal drugs from the streets and tackle the associated harm caused.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "Operation Eliminate will no doubt have disrupted the supply of drugs in the local area, and as a result there will be vulnerable people who will not have been able to get their fix.

"I'd urge them, and indeed anyone else who is struggling with a drug addition, to take this opportunity to seek help from Wolverhampton's drug and alcohol misuse service, Recovery Near You, which provides free and confidential support and advice to both adults and young people.

"Recovery Near You helps anyone concerned about their drug or alcohol use, or that of someone else. It can help with immediate problems, as well as helping people make more permanent changes.

"Overcoming any addiction is always an incredibly challenging process, but I would encourage people to make that first step, seek help and begin taking back control of their lives."

Recovery Near You offers 24 hour support lines, one for adults on 0300 200 2400 and one for young people on 0300 123 3360. Alternatively, people can log on to Type=links;Linkid=3084;Title=Recovery near you;Target=_blank; or email talktous@recoverynearyou.org.uk.

Anyone who is concerned about drug crime in their neighbourhood is asked to call West Midlands Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999.

Operation Eliminate was launched after communities highlighted issues over the supply and use of drugs. Councillor Sweet added: "We are committed to continue working closely with the police and members of the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership to tackle the drug dealers who blight our local communities and support those vulnerable people who are under their corrosive influence.

"We want to make our communities safer and better places to live by tackling the root causes of crime and anti social behaviour.

"If anyone witnesses drug dealing, drug taking, drink-related anti-social behaviour or any other issues, please report them to police."

  • released: Wednesday 20 July, 2016