19 Charged with Drug Offences

Chief Constable Russ Foster says the Police will continue to crack down on drug gangs who target islanders.

This comes after Operation Nightjar saw 21 arrests made and 19 people being charged with suspected offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

The operation, conducted in late 2023 and early 2024, saw the Constabulary engaged in a covert operation to identify individuals involved in actively dealing Class A drugs, predominantly on or around licensed premises (bars and pubs).

In a video released by the Police, Mr Foster said: ‘Being part of the Common Travel Area enables unfettered access to our island, making us vulnerable to being exploited by organised crime groups who see the Isle of Man is a lucrative market for the sale of illicit drugs.

‘This is not a victimless crime, in order to conduct their illegal activities with the least risks of themselves, the organised criminal groups in the UK, and here locally target young and vulnerable people and exploit them using coercion, intimidation, or even violence, which ultimately forces them into a life of crime.’

Reflecting on recent long sentences given to people involved in importing drugs to the island, Mr Foster said they should be seen as a deterrent and a sign that ‘we will not tolerate such criminality as a society here on the Isle of Man’.

He added: ‘Tackling organised criminality will remain one of the Constbulary’s top priorities and together with other law enforcement agencies, we will continue to relentlessly pursue people trying to exploit our island and we will endeavour to make the Isle of Man a hostile environment for such criminality to thrive.

‘We will continue to practically target criminals using the maritime port and airport mail coming into the island small boats and local drug dealers particularly those exploiting children and vulnerable people.’