Six men have been charged following a series of police raids targeting organised crime in Torquay and the wider Torbay area, Devon. Devon & Cornwall Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) announced the charges on 7 February 2026 after searches of multiple properties conducted as part of a complex investigation. SOCU officers worked alongside Torquay neighbourhood teams to disrupt groups suspected of supplying Class A drugs and exploiting vulnerable residents.
The operation aligns with Torbay Council’s Safer Torbay Serious Violence Strategy (2024–29) and local initiatives such as Street Focus/Operation Town Centres, which aim to make the town centre safer by disrupting criminal networks. Local reporting in the Torbay Weekly has documented targeted patrols and hotspot activity in parts of the town centre. Police said the investigation used surveillance and digital forensics to build the case against those suspected of running the illegal activity.
Devon & Cornwall Police urged members of the public to report suspicious activity, saying community intelligence is vital to these enquiries. Local outlets, including Devon Live, have previously reported on operations that dismantled organised crime networks in the region. Police described the latest charges as a significant disruption to organised crime in Torquay. Journalists should check Exeter Magistrates’ Court listings and the force’s official news release for the full names and the specific charges before naming defendants or reporting further charge details.
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