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Islington Tribune - by MARK BLUNDEN
Published: 6 July 2007

Prisoner’s friend caught with a sockful of cocaine

300 held in Operation Trawler campaign against drugs and knives

A FRIEND of a Pentonville inmate was arrested outside the prison walls with a sock stuffed with cocaine and a mobile phone.
Detectives believe the man was about to throw the drugs to his accomplice in the exercise yard of the prison, off Caledonian Road, Holloway.
His arrest was part of Operation Trawler, a massive anti-drugs and knife swoop last month. Detective Chief Inspector Adrian Usher said: “Officers were patrolling outside the prison when they saw the man. When he was searched, officers found a sock containing a mobile phone – a big currency in prison – and cocaine.”
Drugs dogs were used to check visitors to the prison. One man was arrested carrying £400 worth of heroin as he queued to see an inmate.
Operation Trawler resulted in about 300 arrests and culminated in an anti-drugs operation around the bars and clubs of Farringdon on Friday night.
A woman was arrested when a drugs dog picked her out in a queue and she was found to have 40 ecstasy tablets hidden in her bra.
Drugs dogs were used along with uniformed and plain-clothes officers, some of whom posed as clubbers. A number of undercover police were offered drugs by dealers.
Similar operations were staged in the area around Farringdon station every weekend in June. Every night they had police back-up, London Underground ticket inspectors took about £800 from passengers who had not paid fares.
Airport-style metal detectors, known as knife arches, were used at Highbury and Islington, Archway and Caledonian Road stations.
One man who ran off when he spotted officers was arrested after dumping a large lock knife.
A 17-year-old youth was found to be carrying a small amount of cannabis but a strip search later revealed he had hidden 40 rocks of crack cocaine in his underpants. Five knives were seized and 10 cars confiscated.
Shoplifters in Angel and Finsbury Park were targeted and a fake charity collector arrested.
About 250 police officers worked in collaboration with British Transport Police and Islington Council.
Det Chief Insp Usher said of the operation: “It is about reassurance and saying to criminals from outside the borough that we won’t put up with them.”
He hopes to run similar campaigns throughout the year.

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