OPERATION Horizon was sparked after Barrow was labelled ‘the drugs capital of the north’ following a high number of drug related deaths.

Between December 2017 to March 2018, Barrow recorded 10 deaths amongst drug users in the town earning it the highest rates of drug-related deaths in England and Wales.

An article in the Sunday Times labelled Barrow ‘the drugs capital of the north’ claiming people here were more likely to die from drugs than those in Manchester, Liverpool or Lancaster.

Describing the town, The Sunday Times said: “It sits in the shadow of the Lake District, one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, but Barrow is turning into the drugs capital of the north.”

The 'disproportionate number of drug deaths' were concentrated on Egerton Court on Barrow Island.

But residents of Barrow Island were quick to defend their community, asking that people do not tar them all with the same brush. Locals in the Devonshire Hotel were among those to hit back at the ton's label of ‘the drugs capital of the north’, with regulars taking part in weekly litter picks and charity events hosted at the pub.

“Yes there are a few bad eggs, but because Egerton Court is in an enclosed area it’s more concentrated and seems worse than it is,” one regular said.

Another, Mark, said: “Barrow was fast becoming the drug capital of the north” was “a slur on the community” while another described it as “disgusting”.

Many of the residents did agree that Barrow did have a problem with drugs, in particular heroin. As part of the Operation Horizon crackdown, two property raids were carried out on Barrow Island, with many others carried out elsewhere.

Billed as Cumbria Police's most successful drugs operation ever, officers said the operation addressed vulnerability in Barrow and the distribution of Class A drugs heroin and cocaine.

Detective Chief Superintendent Dean Holden said: “One of they key influences around this was that we had a disproportionate number of drugs deaths in the Barrow area that were connected to local drug supply and potentially to supply from outside of the area.

“If you look at the drugs death towards the end of 2018 we had in excess of a dozen drugs deaths in the Barrow area. The individuals who sadly died weren’t just taking class A drugs, they were taking a concoction of drugs.

“We cannot say those deaths were directly attributed to the county lines gang but we can say that the availability of class A drugs along with others in Barrow contributed to those deaths.”