OVER 60 people have been arrested across Gloucestershire and the West Country on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs. 

The arrests were made by police who found drugs worth more than £150,000 n a week-long series of raids. 

The drugs were seized as part of Operation Vanquish, an initiative involving the South West’s five police forces.  

Huge quantities of crack cocaine, cannabis and heroin; weapons including several firearms, a samurai sword, machete and knives, were also recovered.  

The operation also enabled the police to safeguard 28 vulnerable people across the region. 

During the seven days of operations, that ran between June 10-16, police teams targeted gangs and addresses of suspected drugs dealers and suppliers; stepped-up patrols of known hotspots and used technology to disrupt so-called county-lines activities. 

Chief Superintendent Roddy Gosden, who coordinated the operation in Gloucestershire, said: "Operation Vanquish allowed us to work together with colleagues from across the South West to ensure the region is no place for drugs. 

"A number of specialist teams from across the Constabulary took part in our week of action, conducting drugs warrants and taking dealers off the streets and I feel that this shows our commitment to tackling drug dealing. 

“Our work doesn’t end here as we will continue our efforts to investigate those arrested, take more drugs off our streets, share intelligence and protect the vulnerable.” 

Nick Evans, deputy commissioner and chairman of Gloucestershire’s Combating Drugs Partnership said: “Our county is no place for drugs, and operations like this are about acting on the vital intelligence that our residents provide and getting drugs off our streets and criminal dealers out of our communities. 

“Both raids I’ve joined this week, have been a result of local intelligence and I’ve heard first-hand the relief and gratitude of residents when the drug dealers are led away in handcuffs. Enforcement like this is critical, and I want to see more of it.” 

The police have urged anyone with information about illegal drugs activity to report it to Gloucestershire Police online or via 101.