Drugs worth over £1.3 million seized in Guernsey in 2019

Drugs valued at more than £1.3 million were seized by officers in Guernsey last year.

An annual report from Bailiwick Law Enforcement shows that there were more than 100 seizures across the year - the highest proportion of which were Class B drugs, which include cannabis, cannabis resin and amphetamines.

In the report, Head of Law Enforcement Ruari Hardy praised the work of staff who had overseen the seizures but said there is more work to be done.

The report details how officers shut down a drugs syndicate in February 2019 after stopping a motorist on suspicion of drink driving.

After cannabis was found in the vehicle, police investigated further and eventually seized more than £2,000 in cash. The four individuals involved were later sentenced at Guernsey's Royal Court, with a combined prison sentence of more than seven years handed to three of the defendants.

In a separate incident, a 52-year-old man was stopped having arrived in the island from St Malo and found to have almost 20 kilos of Cannabis resin hidden in various parts of the vehicle. He was charged with importing Class B controlled drugs and sentenced to 7 years in prison.The report also found that across 2019, 37 officers were assaulted while on duty.