FIVE people including a teenager have been arrested as Hampshire police take the war on drugs across the country.

Hampshire's specialist drugs team Fortress has raided four addresses in the north of the country as they continue to cut off the supply of class drugs to the streets of Southampton and Winchester.

As a result five people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and money laundering offences.

They were a 28-year-old woman from Lancashire, a 16 year-old boy from Greater Manchester, a 22-year-old man from Cheshire, a 33-year-old woman from Greater Manchester and a 58-year-old man from Oldham.

During the searches, which took place in Haslingden in Lancashire,  Lymm in Cheshire, Aston under Lyme in Manchester and Moston in Manchester, officers seized a quantity of suspected Class A and Class B drugs and cash.

Detective Inspector Amanda Horsburgh said: “I would like to thank Greater Manchester Police, Lancashire Police and Cheshire Police for their support and assistance ring these warrants.

“Our ongoing activity demonstrates that we are prepared to travel outside of the county to deal robustly with anyone who comes into Hampshire or the Isle of Wight to deal drugs.

“An offender may not live in our force area but that certainly doesn't mean we will turn a blind eye to their offending.

“We will not tolerate individuals who come to Hampshire or the Isle of Wight to deal drugs and exploit the vulnerability of drug users.”

Anyone concerned about crime or anti-social behaviour linked to drugs in your community call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.