DOZENS of police officers launched surprise raids on pubs in Medway at the weekend as an ongoing crackdown on drugs continues.

The team, bolstered with drugs dogs and specialist equipment, swooped on almost a dozen pubs on Saturday night.

In a bid to catch drug users and suppliers off guard, the operation went from pub to pub.

Dogs sniffed the premises and customers and officers used equipment which could detect if someone had been using drugs that night.

Six arrests were made. Two pubs and a restaurant were closed down by Medway Council’s licensing team, also taking part in the raids, for allegedly operating outside their licensing provisions.

Saturday’s raids were part of the continuing police operation to clear Medway of drugs.

Following earlier raids, two more people have been charged with supplying drugs and a man from Gordon Road, Chatham, was arrested and later charged with drug-related offences.

A 23-year-old woman, of no fixed address, was arrested on September 22 and charged with four offences of supplying drugs. She was bailed on September 23 but re-arrested last Wednesday for breaching her bail conditions.

A 48-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday and charged with four offences of supplying drugs.

Det Insp John Coull, who is leading the operation, said: “The activity over the last week has been a major blow to drug suppliers in Medway.”

If you think you know someone who may be dealing in drugs, call Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555 111.