A large-scale investigation by police has uncovered more than £95,000 worth of drugs in Wiltshire and led to 23 arrests in just one week.

Operation Scorpion was launched by Wiltshire Police and four other South West police forces to target county lines across the South West in a series of drug busts.

During the seven days of operations from September 30 to Friday 4 October, police teams targeted gangs and addresses of suspected drug dealers and suppliers, increased the number of patrols at known hot spots and used ANPR technology to disrupt County Lines activities through vehicle checks.

Police said the scale of the problem uncovered was huge.

In Wiltshire so far, 23 arrests have been made and more than 95,000 worth of drugs seized.

On top of this, six adults and seven children caught up in the drug operations have been safeguarded, with multi-agency measures put in place to ensure they are protected from future criminality.

Weapons seized also included a Samurai sword, baseball bats and knives. 

The operation is a collaboration between Wiltshire's force and Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, Avon & Somerset, and Gloucestershire police forces.

Police raid at a property in SwindonPolice raid at a property in Swindon (Image: Dave Cox) "Operation Scorpion demonstrates a collaborative, border-less approach to policing to reduce the serious harm and violence caused by drugs across the whole region, as drug crime isn’t just a problem in urban police areas," said Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson.

“Drug crime and the violence that usually accompanies it blights the lives of our residents and the communities they live in. 

“This iteration focused on denying criminals access to the region via our road networks and therefore disrupting the activity of criminal gangs. 

"Our stance on this will always be clear – Wiltshire and the South West is no place for drugs.”

Wiltshire Police Detective Chief Inspector Megan Elkins added: "These arrests and seizure results mean that a significant amount of drugs have been removed from our streets, as well as the disrupting of the organised criminal networks which prey on the vulnerable and bring so much misery to our communities.

“But our work continues but we also need the public's help.

"Please continue to report whenever you suspect drug dealing, so we can build up our intelligence picture allowing us to investigate where the issues are."

Anyone with information about illegal drug activity should report it to their local police service online or using the non-emergency 101 telephone line. Always call 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, you can pass information anonymously to the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

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