Police carry out Whitley drug raids
Richard Cutcher • Published 18 Jun 2011 13:00
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The Coral bookmakers will remain closed until police are happy for it to re-open.
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POLICE raids across Whitley last night brought a number of arrests and "significant" seizures of hard drugs.
Officers sealed off a stretch of Northumberland Avenue at about 5pm before swooping on Coral bookmakers and searching the building.
Police had been working with the management at Coral as they prepared for the operation and the shop is now temporarily closed. They also executed a number of search warrants in Dawlish Road and at other addresses in the Whitley area.
Coral spokesman David Stevens said: "There have been problems with this particular shop for a while and yesterday action was taken by police. We will look to re-open it as soon as the police are happy for it to open, and we have been working closely with them up to this point."
Ajitesh Kumar works at the Co-op store in the same parade of shops and was repairing his CCTV cameras when the raid began. He said: "I was in the office when I saw all the police arriving and there were lots of them and lots of noise. We heard they caught some drug dealers inside the bookmakers.
"At first we were shocked but we are very pleased the police are doing it and if they catch people that can only be good for the area."
Michael Bennett, 73, has lived in Northumberland Avenue for more than 30 years and said: "It never stops. Nothing surprises me here because you see it happening all the time."
Pat Young, 66, has lived opposite the parade of shops with her husband Ken for 40 years and said: "I just hope they got what and who they were looking for. Whether or not it will make a difference we will have to wait and see."
Police have called public meeting at South Reading Youth and Community Centre at 7pm next Tuesday - July 5 - to explain to Whitley people what has bee goiing on and the circumstances surrounding last night's operation.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation should contact the Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 850 5505. To give evidence anonymously phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 23 Jun 11
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