POLICE carried out dawn raids at properties in Sutton, Ely and Burwell as part of a inter-county drugs operation.

The warrants, which resulted in a total of 19 arrests, took place on Tuesday morning and were the culmination of a long-term investigation into the large scale supply of class A drugs in Cambridgeshire, mainly high purity cocaine.

Arrests were also been made by police in Northamptonshire and Hampshire in connection with the same conspiracy.

Police confirmed to the Ely Standard that they had arrested a 27-year-old woman from Sutton on suspicion of money laundering and a 38-year-old man from Burwell on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Raids also took place in Waterbeach, St Ives, Ely, Needingworth, Cottenham, Fulbourn, Huntingdon, Milton and Cambridge.

The operation, codenamed Vanguard, involved more than 250 officers.

Warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act were executed at 7am and searches of properties were carried out.

Arrests were made on suspicion of money laundering and conspiracy to supply class A drugs, mainly cocaine.

Those arrested have been taken to Thorpe Wood Police Station.

Chief Inspector Darren Alderson said: “These raids are part of the force’s ongoing campaign to stop class A drugs being sold in Cambridgeshire.

“The use and supply of drugs in not only illegal, it also fuels other types of crime.

“We take this type of offending very seriously and would urge anyone with information about it to contact police.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.