Police carried out their fifth raid in Chipping Norton in just over a week today as part of a major crackdown on drugs.

Officers raided a house in Cornish Road at 7.55am and arrested a 45-year-old man who is in custody.

Yesterday, a 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were arrested for possession of class-A drugs and their car was seized following road checks on the A44 towards Chipping Norton.

Police also carried out drug tests in pub toilets across the town on Saturday night and two licensed premises tested positive for class-A drugs.

Last Tuesday, police raided two homes in Hailey Avenue seizing class-A drugs then searched two more in Fox Close and Cornish Road the following day.

The raids and stop-checks are part of Operation Falcon which tackles drug dealing and related crimes.

Det Sgt Craig Kirby, who is leading the operation, said: "Following the warrants last week, the use of ANPR is the latest part of our high profile operation in Chipping Norton.

"We were using it to disrupt the flow of any drugs into the town, but like the warrants we have so far executed it has also helped detect other crimes and arrest wanted people. Trading Standards officers joined us and were on the lookout for any potential rogue traders passing through the area."

A 45-year-old man was arrested at Cornish Road today for failure to comply with a drugs testing assessment.

Licensing officer Alex Bloomfield said the drug tests in Chipping Norton at the weekend fared better than similar operations in other towns across the county.

He added: "Generally, everything was fine and we were pleased with the co-operative attitude of most of the people we dealt with. We are liaising with the licensees of the two places that got positive drugs tests, but overall this was the best set of results we have had from any of our tests in Oxfordshire in recent months.

"However, we did have a concern with the number of people who were being allowed to drink outside the pubs on the street on what was a warm evening. There were large groups drinking off the licensed premises and in one case actually on the road.

"These situations can lead to anti-social behaviour and a nuisance to neighbours, and drinking in the road can easily lead to someone getting hurt. We will be following this up with those licensees who did not move their patrons inside when asked to."

Anyone information on drug dealing in Chipping Norton should contact Ds Kirby or Chipping Norton neighbourhood on 08458 505505 or email chippyneighbourhood@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk