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Citizen's anti-drugs stance

It was crime reporter Dennis Apperly’s third drugs bust with the police – but the tension was still high as they waited for the “all systems go”.

He took part in the swoop with the Gloucestershire Constabulary as an invited guest – and was the only member of the media there.

It was part of the Gloucester Citizen’s anti-drugs campaign launched in October and resulted in a full page of news and background into the problem and the swoop: Operation Lapwing.

The Campaign was launched after the mother of a heroin addict got in touch with the Citizen because she wanted to let readers know what her family had been through.

It was because of the huge reaction from readers that the campaign went from strength to strength, with dozens of mums getting in touch with the paper to share their heartache.

An appeal for information on drugs dealers attracted a huge response, and a dossier of names and addresses was compiled and sent to the police, resulting in undercover operations across the county – and crucially, several arrests.

The campaign was praised by local MP Tess Kingham and Drug Tsar Keith Hellawell.

Gloucestershire’s top police officers also gave their backing and allowed the Citizen behind-the-scenes insights into their drugs operations.

Here, in an article first published in The Citizen, Dennis Apperley gives his own view of the latest: Operation Lapwing.

Click here for Dennis’s inside story.

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