POLICE have closed the Parkwood Tavern public house in Maidstone following what they describe as a "successful operation" to combat drugs.

Officers visited the establishment last Thursday evening and carried out searches which resulted in the pub being temporarily shut down under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act.

Officers attended Sittingbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday to apply for a three-month closure order.

The case was adjourned until December 29 when it will be heard at Mid Kent Magistrates' Court. The pub will remain closed in the meantime.

During the raid two people, a man and a woman, were arrested for possession of drugs and theft. They were later cautioned for the offences.

The pub was sealed with steel shutters and a closure notice was affixed to the front of the property.

On the same evening, other public houses within the Maidstone and Malling area were visited and checked.

The Harrow public house in Ulcombe, near Maidstone, was closed by officers as it did not have a proper licence to operate.