POLICE SWOOP IN FELIXSTOWE

DRUGS and stolen goods have been recovered in a series of
meticulously-planned raids on houses in the Felixstowe area, police revealed
today.

Officers and sniffer dogs swooped on eight homes in a five-day crackdown
this week -- arresting six people, five of them in connection with class A
drugs heroin and cocaine, plus cannabis.

The operation, which ended with a dawn raid today, followed months of
intelligence gathering and involved a team of officers from across east
Suffolk.

It has been hailed as an enormous success and detectives say it sends a
clear message to those involved in crime: "You never know when it could be
you."

The operation began on Monday and involved warrants being executed at eight
addresses in the Felixstowe police sector. Details of the addresses and the
occupants are not being revealed at this stage.

Officers from Lowestoft, Leiston, the Operational Support Group and the dog
section provided support to the Felixstowe team.

Five people were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and are currently
being questioned, and one man has been charged with four counts of burglary.

Det Insp Jim Keeble said the initiative, part of Suffolk police's Operation
Crackdown campaign against drugs, had been a success.

"This demonstrates Suffolk police's ongoing commitment to dealing with those
suspected of producing and supplying class A drugs," he said.

"As a result of the warrants we have arrested several people in connection
with both drug and other offences and it sends a clear message to those
committing these offences -- 'you never know when it might be you'."

Felixstowe police commander Insp Andy Bushell said the operation had been a
team effort that had produced some positive results.

"We will continue to actively target those suspected of committing crime in
the town through a variety of methods," he said.

"This week has proved effective thanks to the hard work and support of
officers from across the eastern area and in specialist teams, and we hope
to carry out similar operations in the future."

Anyone with information about drug dealing in their area can call the
Suffolk police Crackdown hotline on freephone 0800 253 253. If the
information is specifically about drugs in Felixstowe people can call
Felixstowe police on 01473 383311.