Police have arrested 28 people as part of the latest crackdown on the supply of heroin and crack cocaine through county lines.

Officers searched properties across Thanet , Sittingbourne and London, seizing about 20 mobile phones suspected to contain evidence of criminal networks running from London into Kent.

The search warrants were carried out between September 4 and 18 involving the county's force, the National Crime Agency, the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police.

Eight people have now been charged in connection with running separate county lines.

On September 12, officers searched a flat in Ethelbert Road, Margate, where a phone suspected to contain evidence of the supply of class A drugs was recovered.

Jesutomisin Ifeoluwa, 21, was charged with possession of criminal property, conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

Three days later, search warrants were executed at addresses in Ramsgate and Broadstairs, suspected to be linked to a county line.

This led to the seizure of 227 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine as well as £850 in cash.

Mateo Bondzie, 22, of Poplar Road, Broadstairs, was charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine and with possessing criminal property, namely the cash.

'We have dedicated teams committed to tackling county lines and protecting those from being exploited' - Detective Superintendent Mike Worrall

A warrant was also executed at an address in Tonge Road, Sittingbourne, on September 16 where officers seized a number of phones.

Christopher Tregunno, 30, was arrested and later charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.

Early morning warrants were also carried out at a number of locations in London, with assistance from the Metropolitan Police.

Designer clothing and shoes worth an estimated £8,000 were seized on September 8 as well as £2,000 in cash after a man driving in the Tower Hamlets area of London was stopped and a linked address searched.

Joseph Odoi, 19, of Dumont Road, Stoke Newington was arrested and charged with three counts relating to the supply of Class A drugs as well as with possessing criminal property.

In an early morning raid, police forced entry into a property in East Ham, and Sharmache Jama, 28, of Melford Road, London, was arrested nearby and later charged with being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.

Cash and mobile phones were also recovered after a property in Olive Road, Cricklewood, was searched and Zakariya Hall, 28, was arrested and charged with six counts of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Detective Superintendent Mike Worrall said: "We have dedicated teams committed to tackling county lines and protecting those from being exploited.

"Part of our focus is to increasingly target those who we suspect to be ‘line holders’, which is why gathering phone evidence continues to be so crucial.

"These can be people who aren’t always necessary the dealers, but who may coordinate the distribution of drugs through the exploitation of children and vulnerable adults.

"The success of our approach lies with strong relationships and collaboration between other police forces and our partners, and this has led to a steady reduction in the number of active county lines in Kent from 82 in July, down to the current number of 67.

"This also has a positive knock-on effect in reducing incidents of serious violence including the use of weapons.

"We are determined to keep this number falling and the message remains very clear that anyone intent on dealing drugs can expect a robust response. Expect to be arrested and put before the courts."

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne