DRUGS with an estimated street value of nearly £1m were seized when police raided ex-farm buildings near Whiteparish on Thursday morning.

It is one of the biggest-ever drug hauls in the Salisbury area. As well as large quantities of drugs, including a white powder believed to be heroin, police also took possession of a firearm found on the premises.

Five men were arrested in the raid, two from the Salisbury area and three from Southampton.

At a press conference at Salisbury police station on Friday, Superintendent Matt Pullen described the seizure as very significant.

The raid, on commercial units at Glendale Farm, off the A36 Southampton road near Whiteparish, followed months of preparation and involved 17 police officers from the proactive crime unit based at divisional police headquarters in Wilton Road, Salisbury.

Police swooped at about 10.30am on Thursday and took away large amounts of class A and class B drugs found in the buildings.

Supt Pullen said the drugs seized included significant amounts of cannabis resin, 'skunk' cannabis, ecstasy tablets, amphetamines and a white powder thought to be heroin.

The drugs have been sent to forensic laboratories for further testing and the firearm is also undergoing forensic examination.

Supt Pullen said that the five arrests would have an impact on the problem of drug dealing in the Salisbury area.

He said: "It is a major seizure, but we are realistic and know there are sources of supply in this area and this is but one of them.

"We shall make every effort to clamp down on those other sources."

The five men arrested are aged between 17 and 30 years.

One of the men from the Salisbury area appeared before magistrates in Chippenham on Saturday and was remanded in custody after being charged with five offences, including supplying cannabis resin, possession with intent to supply and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

The four others were released on police bail while further enquiries were made.

Alan Smith, the owner of the commercial units where the raid took place, said he knew nothing about what was going on.

But he said the men who had rented the premises had seemed "respectable types".