SEVEN people have appeared in court in connection with a series of drug raids in Boscombe on Tuesday.

Police officers smashed their way into 13 properties across Bournemouth during Operation Moped, one of the biggest initiatives of its kind in the county.

And the first of those charged following the raids have now appeared at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court.

Neil Donald McKechnie, 43, of Clifford Road in Moordown, entered no plea to three charges of supplying class A drug diamorphine – heroin – to a law nforcement officer, and was remanded in custody to appear at Bournemouth Crown Court on July 23 over prison video link.

The second to appear in the dock, 32-year-old Danielle Roberts of Birch Drive in Townsend, wept and thanked magistrates after they agreed that she should be released on conditional bail pending an appearance at crown court on August 11.

She was charged with one count of supplying 307 milligrams of diamorphine to a law enforcement officer, and entered no plea.

George Byworth, 43, of Christchurch Road, Boscombe, did not enter a plea to four counts of supplying cocaine and diamorphine to an officer.

Ian Daly, defending, did not make an application for bail, and the defendant was remanded in custody to appear at the court via video link on July 22.

Georgia Nixon, 37, of Carysfort Road, Boscombe, was released on conditional bail after entering no plea to two counts of supplying diamorphine to an officer.

The defendant will next appear at crown court on August 11 for a plea and case management hearing.

Carla Maidment, 43, of Carysfort Road, Boscombe, was also remanded into custody after entering no plea to five counts of supplying class A drugs diamorphine and crack cocaine to an officer.

She rested her head against the glass of the witness box as she heard that she will next appear via video link at the crown court on July 22.

Jordan Baptiste, 20, of Nunhead Crescent in Peckham Rye, London, was remanded into custody after entering no plea to six counts of supplying cocaine and diamorphine to an officer, and one of possessing a quantity of cannabis. He will next appear before a judge at crown court on July 24 via video link.

Samantha Moore, 40, of Carysfort Road in Boscombe, was charged with one count of supplying diamorphine, and will next appear in court on August 11.

Investigation continues

THE initiative continued yesterday, with a total of 29 people now arrested and 21 properties raided.

Among those taken into custody is a 24-year-old Bournemouth woman, suspected of supplying crack cocaine, a 19-year-old Christchurch man, arrested on suspicion of the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, and a 32-year-old man from Bournemouth, suspected of selling heroin.

They are three of 10 arrested on suspicion of supplying controlled class A drugs on the second day of the initiative.

A 15-year-old boy has also been arrested on suspicion of entering the UK without leave, and a man was taken into custody after allegedly breaching an anti-social behaviour order.

A 20-year-old from Bournemouth initially arrested on suspicion of supplying heroin and crack cocaine has been released.