Police have seized nearly £40,000 of drugs during a crackdown across Moray.
More than 30 raids have been carried out in Elgin, Buckie, Keith, Cullen, Forres, Lossiemouth and Burghead in an attempt to smash drugs rings in the region.
And as a result, 16 people have been charged with drugs offences in the last three months.
Now police have revealed their efforts have had a “significant” effect on organised criminals operating in Moray.
But the force has vowed not to relent in their efforts to make the region a “hostile” environment for dealers that prey on vulnerable residents.
Last night Moray MSP Richard Lochhead said locals would be comforted to know direct action was being taken. He said: “Everyone will welcome the progress being made, given the amount of hard drugs being taken off the streets.
“The fact that so many people have been arrested will also disrupt the local drug trade and make our communities safer.”
Between the beginning of April and the end of June, police raided 34 properties across the region.
Officers recovered 207 grams of heroin, with a street value of £20,180, nearly five kilograms of cannabis worth £17,065 and about 40 grams of cocaine valued at £1,300.
The figures will be presented to Moray Council’s police and fire and rescue services committee on Thursday.
Last night, the committee’s deputy chairman James Allan said: “It’s a shame some people get hooked into that lifestyle because it can have a huge effect on the people living around them.
“Quite often we hear about a lot of antisocial behaviour in the same places that drug dealers live.”
Other focuses for Moray police at the moment include work to tackle the amount of thefts and vandalism in the region.
