VIDEO: Forest of Dean police in dawn raid as part of Operation Rapier

A CRACK team of officers has been assembled in the Forest of Dean in a bid to wipe out crime blighting neighbourhoods.

Operation Rapier, a six-strong unit, has carried out four search warrants for drugs in the past few days, the most recent was at a home in Harrison Way, Lydney, this morning.

The dawn raid saw police smash open the door backed up by specialist dog handler Sergeant Geoff Blindell, as the residents were known to keep a rottweiler - which was eventually kept confined to the bathroom of the two-bedroom house.

However, it proved fruitless as no drugs were recovered after spaniel sniffer dog Holly and her handler PC Debbie Shields were sent in to scour the property.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

A white powder found in the Two Rivers-owned home turned out to be Polyfilla, although scales and other drugs-related paraphernalia were discovered. No arrests were made.

The three previous search warrants, at properties in Coleford and Cinderford, were however all successful.

A 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman from Coleford were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A, B and C drugs after a warrant at a house in Staunton Road in the town last Thursday. They have been bailed until May 8.

A 34-year-old man from Coleford has been reported for a summons to court on suspicion of possession of class A and B drugs after a search on a house in South Road in the town, also last Thursday.

A juvenile boy was also arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis in Cinderford.

Inspector Jane Horrobin, who leads the Rapier team, said: “We have pulled the team together to take care of anything that’s doing harm to the community.

“People just don’t want it on their doorstep.

“We’ve had four other warrants in the past few days, all with positive results, and it shows the community we do take it seriously.”

It’s not just drugs the team is hoping to stamp down on.

“The issues that have been doing a lot of harm recently are burglaries,” said Insp Horrobin.

“But we will deal with any acquisitive crime and anything that causes harm to the community.”