AROUND £5,000 worth of cannabis was found during a raid on a house in the Forest..

The seizure was part of a major drugs operation across the South West.

A local man is now under investigation for manufacturing drugs..

In total, police executed 11 warrant as part of Operation Scorpion which led to 19 people being arrested, £130,000 worth of drugs being seized and two drugs lines being disrupted.

The seizures included a kilo of heroin valued at £100,000, 197grams of crack worth £19,270, £10,000 worth of cannabis and ketamine and 15grams of cocaine valued at £1,500.

It was the first time the South West’s five Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables had worked together on one combined operation with one objective.

The ground-breaking initiative ran alongside other nationwide activity against so-called county lines organised crime groups, who deal drugs through complex networks across county borders.

Officers used a range of tactics, including enhanced surveillance of the road and transport networks, increased high visibility patrols in areas of high demand, carried out warrants at addresses used for drug dealing, and performed welfare checks on vulnerable people.

a vehicle has any links to criminality, was used on major routes in and out of the county throughout the week, in one case leading to a car being stopped and taken off the road and a quantity of drugs being seized.

Detective Inspector David Shore-Nye, who coordinated the operation in Gloucestershire, said: “We understand how devastating drugs crime can be – whether that’s to local communities who have to suffer the related anti-social behaviour and stigma of it on their doorsteps or the vulnerable people often exploited by the drugs gangs.

“We have targeted the supply chain hard but I would ask even recreational users to think about those links and how they could be contributing to the work of these criminal gangs.

Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson said: “This is a big plus for the way in which all five police services in the region have been able to come together for the first time and launch a co-ordinated attack on drugs-related crime.

“Taking those people off the streets makes a real difference law-abiding people in our communities who want to see drug dealers removed from where they live.