November 7, 2019 5.17 pm This story is over 51 months old

Woman arrested after armed police raid Lincoln flat

Neighbours watched as police crews arrived

A woman was arrested for a drug offence after armed police raided a ground floor flat in the Ermine area of Lincoln on Thursday.

Lincolnshire Police confirmed they carried out a warrant on Imp Close on the Ermine estate in uphill Lincoln during the morning of Thursday, November 7.

The raid was carried out as part of Operation Raptor – Lincolnshire Police’s intelligence-led dedicated campaign to tackle weapons offences, which was launched on October 21.

An eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Lincolnite that around six armed police, along with undercover police and a dog unit, were outside the flat shortly before 12pm on Thursday, November 7.

They said: “There were also people with gloves checking over the flat for any more drugs that were concealed. They were at the scene for over an hour.”

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “A woman in her 40s was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.”

Earlier in the week, convoys of police units pounced on a string of Lincoln properties on Monday morning, arresting a man and two women on suspicion of crimes including weapons offences.

The Lincolnite accompanied officers, and various specialist units, on Monday’s raid in Welton Gardens in the Ermine area of the city.

Photo: Steve Smailes at The Lincolnite

Reporters watched as officers quickly surrounded the property, ramming the door and climbing through windows to surprise their suspect, but nobody was home at that address.

Tactical support and dog units attended two other addresses in Chatterton Avenue and Lytton Street.

A number of weapons were also seized during Monday’s raids, including a crossbow and a replica BB gun.

A crossbow and a BB gun were among the weapons seized in warrants carried out in Lincoln on Monday, November 4. Photo: Lincolnshire Police

Three men were arrested when a raid was carried out in the north of Lincoln on Tuesday. The men – one aged in his 20s, one in his 30s and another in his 40s – were arrested on suspicion with intent to supply Class A and B drugs.

Weapons, including metal bars and a knife, were also seized.

Since the launch of Operation Raptor more than 30 people have been arrested and over 30 weapons have been seized, including knives, guns and baseball bats.

As part of Operation Raptor, a weapons surrender was also launched on Monday, November 4. People can hand in weapons at any of the four main police stations in the county – click here for more information.