POLICE swooped on properties in the Forest of Dean, Gwent and Essex in a co-ordinated raid believed to be linked a gang involved in the theft and disposal of four wheel drive vehicles.

Eight arrests were made and police say they believe those arrested are part of an organised crime group allegedly responsible for a number of thefts, including £200,000 worth of vehicles stolen from the Five Acres Garage stand at the Monmouth Show last May.

Operation Safari, involved 80 Gwent Police officers, including specialist dog teams and investigators from the Regional Asset Recovery Team. Nine houses were raided along with a garage repair premises in the London area. Four suspected stolen vehicles, a large amount of parts and £30,000 were seized.

Detective Inspector Simon Thomas who led the operation said: "This is the first phase of an ongoing investigation to dismantle a suspected organised crime group operating in and around the Gwent area. We believe the group has been targeting high value vehicles and have been involved in other criminal activity. We expect further arrests to follow as we link offences together and build a more complete picture of the suspected criminal activity."

A Gwent Police spokesman said of the eight arrested, three were from Abergavenny, two from Monmouth, one from the Forest of Dean, one from Neath and one from Ilford in Essex. He said they were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal and money laundering. Four had been charged with conspiracy to steal and one with a further charge of burglary. Three of the four have been remanded in custody and one released on bail.

•Last autumn thieves audaciously spirited away £200,000-worth of new Range Rovers and four other vehicles from the Five Acres, Coleford, stand at the Monmouth Showground on the eve of the show. Four security guards were on duty, but the thieves escaped unchallenged. One of the Range Rovers and a Renault Trafic van as well as a number of stolen car keys were later found in Trellech.