26 weapons seized, over 35kg of cannabis recovered and 176 arrests made as part of Clear, Hold, Build

Weapons, drugs and cash have been seized as part of a mutli-agency operation including Humberside Police and North East Lincolnshire Council. Other partners involved include LHP Housing and Youth Alliance

Clear, Hold, Build, launched in September 2023, aims to eradicate organised crime across the South Ward, including areas such as the Grange and Nunsthorpe estate in Grimsby.

Since then, a number of arrests have been made and items seized as part of the operation. In late September, a raid on the Nunsthorpe saw 35.25kg of cannabis seized and in mid-March this year £7000 in cash and 200 grams of uncut crack cocaine was recovered.

Seven months in, there have also been 26 weapons seized; £14,389 taken in cash and 176 arrests, 95 of which were on the Nunsthorpe.

With a number of offenders taken off the streets, the scheme is beginning to move into the Hold phase to prevent organised crime returning to the area.

The Council and other partners will continue to work alongside residents in the communities to ensure they feel safe in the area, addressing any concerns they may have.

Following these results, Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities in North East Lincolnshire, said: “I’m really pleased to say that the Council is fully supporting this initiative. Our priority is protecting the public and, in particular, our most vulnerable residents.

“That includes those young people who have been exploited by criminals and those at risk of modern slavery and ensuring that they receive the proper support to be able to rebuild their lives.

“Finally, there is a point to be made here about prevention. By holding on to a site after clearing it, we can work with local people to prevent the next generation of young people from being dragged into a life of crime.”

Local Neighbourhood Inspector Claire Jacobs said: “We have seen a real impact already through the Clear, Hold, Build initiative and I am excited to see what the next step looks like.

“I am passionate about making sure that Grimsby remains a great place to live, work and visit and I pride myself on personally working with businesses, residents, and partner agencies in the area to do exactly this.

“My team have been out and about knocking on doors and talking to the local community and we remain committed to listening to what we are being told and using this information to shape our operational priorities.

“We are also working closely with the local council as they carry out their regeneration plans for the area, and are thrilled to be part of shaping this process to help ensure that together we build resilience to help protect our town from crime.”