THOUSANDS of pounds and drugs have been seized from addresses in Royal Wootton Bassett and Ramleaze as disruption to local drug networks continues following a high-profile operation across the county at the start of the month.

Officers from the neighbourhood policing teams executed the warrants on Thursday evening, arresting a 31-year-old man after cocaine was found at a home in Wootton Bassett and seizing more than £2,800 worth of cannabis and cash during the Ramleaze raid.

The ‘red key’, used to force entry during execution of residential warrants, was not needed in one instance as an occupant was intercepted by officers driving back to his home, and was able to save his door by letting the officers in.

A local 33-year-old woman has now been questioned regarding the stash of cannabis and cash discovered in the other address while police have invited another male occupant in for interview.

Sgt Gareth Kitchener said the investigation is currently progressing.

“Effectively, we had two warrants, one in Royal Wootton Bassett and one in the Ramleaze area of West Swindon,” he said.

“The warrant in Royal Wootton Bassett resulted in a 31-year-old male being arrested and an amount of what we believe to be cocaine being seized.

“At Ramleaze quite a large quantity of cannabis was found, in the region of £1500 worth, and also quite a large quanitity of cash which was around £1,300.

“A 33-year-old female from the local area was invited in for questioning and has been interviewed, with an interview also planned in regard to another occupant of that address.”

The raids have come two weeks after eight properties were targeted for being involved in the supply of drugs under Operation Harness on 1 December.

DI Paul Fisher, of the dedicated crime team, said work has been ongoing with a number of warrants from that day still being acted upon.

“We have also had a busy couple of weeks in terms of unrelated activity and offences,” he said.

“There have been a couple of jobs where community support officers have stopped people in the street selling drugs “It is changing faces that is the challenge for us. One week Class A drugs will be seized and the next week someone from a different network will come in from out of county that we have not come into contact with before.

If you have any information regarding drugs call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or call Wiltshire Police on 101.