DRUG confiscations have tripled in Wiltshire in a decade.

Crack cocaine and morphine snatches by police have spiralled in the past four years, official Home Office statistics show.

Police said that the past 10 years had seen a growth in big city drug dealers muscling in on Wiltshire towns.

The gangs – most of them from London – have cornered the county’s crack and heroin market, officers said.

The new numbers show that the total number of drug seizures by police has more than tripled since 2006.

In that year Wiltshire Police made just 707 individual recorded drug grabs – the lowest of any force in the south west.

Last year, the figure stood at 2,306, placing it ahead of the Dorset and Gloucestershire forces.

The number of crack cocaine seizures have doubled in four years, figures show.

Last year, Wiltshire Police made 156 snatches of the drug, which is known as “white” by users. This was up from 67 in 2013/14.

Recently, rough sleepers have reported crack cocaine being cut with a “legal high” powder called “Magic”. When smoked it causes the mouth to become numb – like a “brick”, one man said.

Some said that those selling drugs were “out of towners” – teenage dealers brought in by the gangs.

A spokeswoman for Wiltshire Police said: “In the past 10 years our crime recording procedures have improved dramatically. Combined with the introduction of the Dedicated Crime Teams in the north and the south of the county, who target class A drug supply in the area and violent offenders who exploit vulnerable people within our communities, we have seen an increase in the quantity of drugs seized from our streets.

“Nationally, an increase in gang culture within the large, metropolitan cities across the country has impacted on counties like Wiltshire, which has good transportation links to cities like London.

“The crack and heroin market in Wiltshire is now predominantly made up of out of town gangs.”

She said Wiltshire Police were “completely dedicated” to combatting the threat posed by these new drug networks.

“We work closely with partner agencies such as social services, local authority, schools and colleges as well as our newly appointed early intervention officer to protect children at risk of being criminally exploited,” she added.

“It is important to us that children are not criminalised unnecessarily.

“Every child we come into contact with is assessed and if appropriate, referred to the relevant partner agency for further engagement and support.”

The police would support anyone willing to engage with drug treatment agencies in a bid to reduce crime, the police spokeswoman added.

According to the statistics, last year Wiltshire Police seized the second largest quantity of benzodiazepines of any south west force.

Cops took 8,000 doses of the anti-anxiety prescription medicine off the street. The haul was second only to Devon and Cornwall Police, whose officers seized 15,000 doses of the Class C drug – which includes pills like Xanax, a brand name for the benzodiazepine alprazolam.

It comes after Swindon Borough Council drug officers reported a spike in benzodiazepine use amongst the town’s youngsters over the summer.

Although there were no referrals to council youth drugs rehab service UTurn this year where benzodiazepines were the primary drug at issue, staff know that it is being used by teens in the town.

“A number of young people have disclosed usage in the last three months,” UTurn’s Michael Hadraft told the Adver last month.

He added: “Benzodiazepines are classed as a depressant, with users become relaxed and sleepy after use.

“However, if mixed with other depressant substances like cannabis and alcohol, then there is a huge risk of a user developing heart or breathing problems, which could lead to premature death.”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said that they commissioned drug service CGL to support those with substance misuse problems. The town centre service can by contacted on 01793 611870.

For more about youth drug service U-Turn, call: 01793 464662.