The police raided six houses in Maidstone and Tunbridge this week in a continued attempt to crackdown on illegal drugs.

On Monday (September 30) three properties in The Cockpit, Marden, were raided by officers.

The first raid resulted in the seizure of 24 bags of cannabis, digital scales, a Samsung mobile phone, a cannabis grinder, eight plastic clip bags and four pieces of identification.

No-one was in the property at the time and enquiries continue.

Entry was forced into a second property where drugs dogs located a small amount of herbal cannabis and a grinder.

The third property yielded more cannabis and a grinder, plus a syringe with a needle and a suspicious bottle containing an unidentified substance.

Officers from the Tunbridge Wells Neighbourhood Policing Team executed two search warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act at two homes in Ringden Avenue, Paddock Wood, the following day.

The searches resulted in a 27 year-old man receiving a court summons for alleged possession of herbal cannabis.

Later the same day, at around 6:15pm, Maidstone officers assisted by dogs forced entry into a property in Broadway Heights.

No one was arrested from the property.

Superintendent Des Keers said: “In each of these cases, my officers were acting either in response to concerns raised by members of the public or in response to our own intelligence around people known to police.

“I am committed to continuing our robust, positive approach against people using and dealing drugs in our towns.

“Raids such as these are known to disrupt and intimidate criminals in our area and my message to those still intent on trading and using drugs in West Kent is clear – we could be knocking on your door next.”