7:00am Thursday 29th July 2010
By Katy Islip
A YOUNG woman wept as she and boyfriend were arrested in a drugs raid at their church-owned home.
Officers from Southend swooped on the terraced house, in Surbiton Road, Southchurch, after neighbours raised concerns that Class A drugs were being dealt from the house.
At about 9.05am on Tuesday, the door of the red-brick home was forced open and nine officers entered to search the house, aided by a sniffer dog.
It is understood the property was given to local church group, Southend Christian Fellowship, by a parishioner, and is used as a halfway house to home vulnerable people, who pay a nominal rent.
Acting Detective Sergeant Bob Evans, of Southend CID, who led the search, said: “We were acting in response to residents’ concerns about drug dealing in the premises.
“A warrant was executed which resulted in the arrest of a man and a woman, and, at the address, a quantity of a substance, believed to be drugs, was found.
“Drug dealing and antisocial behaviour are causing concern for residents. It has been going on for two months and we have dealt with it before. We hoped that would have stopped the problem. People who choose to do this should know they will be dealt with.”
Although the house is attractively decorated, the interior was awash with overflowing bags of rubbish, with surfaces covered in filth and piles of clothes and toys everywhere.
While family pictures decorated the walls, large knives were found on coffee tables and underneath beds.
Acting Det Sgt Evans said: “Having come back to the premises for the second time, they have been found in a far worse condition than the first time. It’s dirty and unsafe, with needles lying around and drug paraphernalia lying about. Basically, it’s not fit to live in.”
When contacted by the Echo about the raid, a representative of Southend Christian Fellowship said he was not prepared to comment on the situation.
* A 23-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and were bailed until September 28.
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