POLICE swooped on four Didcot addresses today as they turned the screw on the town’s drug trade.

The crackdown, which began shortly before 7am, saw 18 officers comb properties as part of Thames Valley Police’s Operation Falcon, which aims to tackle drugs and drug related crime.

Teams of officers uncovered three possible cannabis plants in a greenhouse in Glebe Road, as well as drugs paraphanalia associated with drug cultivation.

At a home in Portway, specialist search dog Zeus discovered what appeared to be skunk – a strong form of cannabis – hidden in a cardboard tube on a radiator.

Tonight, police warned drug dealers and users they would be caught if they continued to break the law.

Sgt Fraser Weller, of Didcot police, said: “It was an excellent day.

“This type of enforcement offers reassurance to the community where this type of behaviour impacts on them.”

He added the police acted on information received from local people.

He added: “We are guided by the information that comes in.

“We will always seek to obtain a warrant through the magistrates’ court and then we can address whether there is a problem or just a perception of a problem.”

Police have now carried out 34 raids across south Oxfordshire in the past year.

No drugs were seized from a first floor flat in Laburnum Grove or a ground floor apartment in Darenth Court, Hamble Road, during the operation, which fell in National Tackling Drugs Week.

Sgt Weller said: “We have had lots of issues with people’s quality of life. We have had information from residents here and neighbours from the adjacent properties of people arriving on foot and the amount of cars coming in here at speed and leaving.

“So, for us to come in and do this, it’s really reassuring for the residents that we are trying to improve the quality of their lives.”

Police also raided a property in Brendon Close, where a 23-year-old woman was cautioned for cannabis possession.

Shaun Thornhill, 37, of Portway, was also charged with possession of cannabis and bailed to appear at Didcot Magistrates’ Court on June 24.

A 34-year-old man arrested in Glebe Road on suspicion of cultivating cannabis was given a caution.

Anyone with information about illegal drugs should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

didcot@oxfordmail.co.uk