Nine people have been arrested for drug offences after a series of warrants and searches, including at properties in Ludlow, following a British Transport Police investigation.

On Friday (July 10), officers executed warrants at eight addresses in Bristol, Ludlow and London.

As well as a quantity of drugs, more than £30,000 of cash and high value items were seized in the operation involving over 100 British Transport Police officers, in addition to officers from local forces.

Two women, aged 17 and 21, and seven men, two aged 23, one aged 24, two aged 25, one aged 26, and one aged 27, have been arrested on suspicion of drug supply offences.

BTP Detective Inspector Paul Stanley said: “Today’s series of warrants is the result of months of work, gathering information and intelligence.

"These arrests demonstrate our effort to target gangs using the railway to move drugs and cash across the country and I hope it provides reassurance to our communities that we are committed to doing all we can to tackle this type of criminality.

“We know county lines activity is taking place on the rail network, and it’s something we’re working hard to prevent – this operation is just one example of the initiatives we have in place to tackle this issue.”