A FRESH crackdown on drug-related crime in Southampton involving 100 officers has resulted in a number of arrests.

In a week-long blitz by dedicated officers half a dozen suspects were arrested in a series of raids throughout the city.

The action was part of the Daily Echo-backed Operation Fortress, a sustained campaign to protect communities from drug-related violence.

Around 100 police officers and staff across various teams, including CID, Neighbourhood Policing Teams, the Force Support Unit and Armed Response, were involved in the latest phase of the crackdown.

Also involved were a number of partner agencies including the UK Border Agency, Child Services, Youth Offending Services, Southampton City Council, the Drug Intervention Program, Southampton NHS Commissioning Services and the Metropolitan Police.

As a result six people were taken into custody.

The start of last week’s crackdown saw three drug warrants executed at two addresses on Paignton Road and an address on Onslow Road.

A 27-year-old man from Southampton was also stopped and searched on Paignton Road and was arrested on suspicion of possession of heroin and cannabis. He received a caution for drug possession.

A 31-year-old man from Southampton was arrested on Denzil Avenue on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Police also stop-checked Muktar Hassan, 19, of Colindale, London, on Onslow Road. He was charged with four counts of supplying Class A drugs and possession of criminal property.

The same day Colin Donovan, 25, of Lyon Street, Southampton was subject to a stop-check on Denzil Avenue. He has been charged with offering to supply Class B drugs and possession of Class B drugs.

Police also charged Qadar Abdi, 19, of Thomas Road, London, with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and Joshua Payne, 19, of Defender Road, Southampton, with possession of cannabis.

Detective Inspector Sion Margrie, said: “This week of action was part of Operation Fortress, Hampshire Constabulary’s campaign to combat the risk of drug-related violence across Southampton.

“One of our aims is to make life as unpleasant as possible for those people suspected of being involved in drug dealing and crimes linked to drugs.

"We’re committed to freeing our communities of drugs and the misery drugs bring.

"If you have any information about drugs in your community, please contact us; the more we know, the more we can do about it.”

Operation Fortress is a campaign involving police and other agencies to reduce the harm of drug-related violence.

Officers have also issued advice to the community to help them in their drive to rid the streets of drug-related crime, including reporting any sudden increase in visitors to a house or flat, short exchanges between small groups of people at or close to a flat or house, residents leaving a flat or house on numerous occasions throughout the day, a prevalence of hire cars and people loitering in an area and using their mobile phones frequently Contact police on101 or 999 if a crime is in progress.

If you don’t want to speak to the police directly, you can call the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111