Police: professionals widely using cocaine

PROFESSIONAL people are "openly and widely" using cocaine, a police survey across Saddleworth has revealed.

The information is contained in a report produced by Saddleworth Neighbourhood Policing Team in partnership with Oldham Council, Pub Watch and voluntary bodies.

It comes just weeks after police launched Operation Sandstorm with an emphasis on Uppermill which is becoming a hot spot for late-night revellers.

The police, who have regular night-time patrols in the village and other communities, have adopted the edict: "No drugs, no ASB and no excuses."

And revellers brought to their attention by landlords and management under the Pub Watch scheme could face a borough-wide drinks ban.

The report says: "We have detained and arrested a male on the High Street, Uppermill, for being in possession of cocaine and, in tandem with the arrest, we put out a social media message on both Facebook and Twitter.

"This male was from the teaching profession and this further cements and supports our claims our user demography points to professional people openly and widely using this Class A drug."

At the time of writing the report, the post on social media websites had received 407 likes, had been shared 50 times and generated 71 comments.

"The vast majority of people have been very supportive of our work with a very small minority making comment that we are ruining people's nights out which in itself is a ludicrous stance to take but reflective of some peoples attitude to drug use."

And police say they are intensively tackling a domestic burglary spike across Saddleworth.

"Through continued and targeted patrol heavily supported by our NPO colleagues from Oldham we are very pleased to say there has been a very sharp drop in incidents being reported," it said.

"This is not by accident and has been a culmination of partnership work coupled with strong public support and participation.

"We continue to receive calls daily on the 101 system from residents spotting vehicles and individuals and, as a consequence, we continue to intelligently deploy our resources."

"We are not complacent and do expect continual challenges as our criminals amend and develop their approach," the report adds.