South Wales Police has arrested seven people for their involvement in the possession and supply of drugs.
Following a nine-month surveillance operation, officers conducted simultaneous warrants at nine premises across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot on Wednesday night.
Class A, B and C drugs with a street value of approximately £250,000 have been recovered. All seven individuals, five men aged 43, 37, 34, 23 and 22, and two women aged 47 and 38, are currently in custody at police stations across South Wales.
The pre-planned operation involved more than 100 officers from the Western Division and Organised Crime Unit of South Wales Police. It followed months of preparatory work by specialist officers who target organised crime groups.
T/Detective Superintendent Steve Benson-Davidson, head of the Organised Crime Unit at South Wales Police, said: “This is a significant operation and the arrests are part of our ongoing drive to actively target individuals who we believe are causing the greatest harm to our communities.
“We will continue to investigate individuals involved in the trafficking of drugs and look to utilise every tool available to secure their convictions and strip them of any assets they have gained through their involvement in crime.
“It is our intention to use all our resources and skills to protect communities from the harm and misery drugs and prosecute those profiting from it.”
Neighbourhood policing teams across the division will be working to reassure communities and inform residents about the operation.
Superintendent Phil Davies, operational commander for Swansea, added: “This operation is an excellent example of how the police are constantly working to protect our communities from harm.
“Some of this work involves covert operations lasting many months which culminates in the highly visible police presence which the residents of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot may have seen over the past 24 hours.
“This has resulted in a number of individuals who are main players in the drugs scene being targeted and arrested.
“What this operation clearly demonstrates is that no-one is above the law and anyone involved in serious organised crime will be targeted.
“This operation will have a significant impact on the supply of controlled drugs and I would urge anyone who is concerned about any individuals affected by drugs to contact the National Drugs Helpline on 0800 77 66 00.”
