Police and partners have provided the community with respite from drug activity and anti-social behaviour after achieving a full closure order on a Watford property.
Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team worked with partners from the Safer Watford Community Safety Partnership and Hightown Housing, which owns the flat in Albanwood, to gather evidence for the order, which was granted at St Albans Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Thursday, February 1).
This means the property is now off-limits for three months, after the occupier’s behaviour was found to be having a significantly negative impact on neighbours.
Despite warnings and repeated police attendance, the behaviour continued, and the closure order was secured. Now, anyone found entering the flat will be in breach of the order and could be arrested, with further action taken against them.
The order follows the arrest of two people at the address during a search warrant on Friday, January 19, where officers seized several wraps of class A and class B drugs (cocaine and amphetamine) from inside the property.
Nicola Watkins, 38, of Albanwood, Watford, was charged with possession of a class A drug (cocaine) and released on bail. She is scheduled to appear at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, February 6.
Flavio Ca-Landim, 18, of Wenlock Street, Islington, London, was charged with possession of a class A drug (amphetamine) and is scheduled to appear at St Albans Magistrates’ Court today (Friday, February 2).
Inspector Dan Jones, who leads the Watford Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We hope that this closure order – the third which is currently active in Watford – serves as a strong message that we will work with housing providers, community safety representatives and other partners to deal with problematic residents who are intent on disrupting the community.
“For a minimum of three months now, residents of Albanwood will be given some much-needed respite whilst tenancy proceedings commence. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home, so if you suspect drug-related crime in your street, please report it to us so we can take steps to disrupt this activity.”
If you suspect drug-related crime in your local area, report it online at herts.police.uk/report, via online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or by calling the non-emergency number 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.
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