Tower Hamlets Council is the first in the country to create its own specialist Drugs Squad designed to tackle substance misuse and associated anti-social behaviour.
Following a successful pilot, the council decided to make this permanent and will be working closely with police, the council’s CCTV and enforcement teams, and the Specialist Substance Misuse Investigations Team (SSMIT), and other local services.
The seven-officer team, believed to be the first council team of its kind in the UK which is solely dedicated to tackling this issue, combines enforcement with tailored support for vulnerable people with the aim of tackling substance misuse and related anti-social behaviour.
The Drug Squad was officially launched today with an event at Poplar Recreation Ground, with Executive Mayor Lutfur Rahman, Cllr Abu Talha Chowdhury, members of the Drug Squad and wider Integrated Enforcement Service from Tower Hamlets Council, and those offering referral services in Tower Hamlets.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “"I'm proud that we have become the first council in the country to create a specialist team dedicated to tackling organised drug crime and supporting people with a route out of addiction and antisocial behaviour.”
"Following years of austerity and cuts to police budgets, this innovative and high impact approach represents a cost-effective way for councils to address these persistent issues which are affecting communities across the country and I hope other councils will follow our lead."
Cllr Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement, added: “We are officially launching the Drugs Squad today, after a pilot saw the Squad have a significant impact and delivering swift results. We’re proud to be leading the way with this innovative model. It’s about listening to our communities, acting on what they tell us, exploring new and effective ways of working and making our streets safer for everyone.”
Former Met Chief Superintendent and Community Safety Director Dal Babu said: "Tower Hamlets Council is the first to adopt this innovative approach and I'm sure other local authorities will follow. This is such an important initiative because we have to work differently to address these persistent problems.”
“The police can't do it alone. They're focusing, as we'd expect, on the organised criminal networks when it comes to drug dealing. The drugs squad is a new trauma-informed approach to tackling antisocial behaviour issues."
The Drugs Squad is part of an £8 million investment into community safety. Tower Hamlets has already invested over £4million in enforcement resources since 2022, with another £4million to be invested by 2026.
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