CAMBRIDGESHIRE police have carried out dawn raids today (April 24) at 18 properties as part of a drugs operation.

The warrants, which have resulted in 16 arrests, were the culmination of a long-term investigation into the large scale supply of class A drugs in Cambridgeshire, mainly high purity cocaine.

Arrests have also been made today by police in Northamptonshire and Hampshire in connection with the same conspiracy.

Of the arrests by Cambridgeshire officers, one was made in Chelmsford, Essex, and another at a property in Red Lodge, Bury St Edmunds, where cannabis plants were also discovered.

In Cambridgeshire, raids took place in Sutton, Waterbeach, St Ives, Ely, Burwell, Needingworth, Cottenham, Fulbourn, Huntingdon, Milton and Cambridge.

The operation, codenamed Vanguard, involved more than 250 officers.

Warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act were executed at 7am and searches of properties were carried out.

Arrests were made on suspicion of money laundering and conspiracy to supply class A drugs, mainly cocaine.

Those arrested have been taken to Thorpe Wood Police Station.

Chief inspector Darren Alderson said: “These raids are part of the force’s ongoing campaign to stop class A drugs being sold in Cambridgeshire.

“The use and supply of drugs in not only illegal, it also fuels other types of crime.

“We take this type of offending very seriously and would urge anyone with information about it to contact police.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.