criminal drug gang believed to be supplying cocaine was targeted in a series of dawn raids in Oxfordshire today.Officers swooped on 14 homes in Oxford, Didcot, Deddington and Banbury, seizing thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and cash.Police said the homes are believed to be linked to an Albanian drugs ring wanted for supplying cocaine across the south of England. 10 men from Oxfordshire were in custody being quizzed by police on suspicion of dealing class A drugs.Det Supt David Poole said: "This is an organised group of criminals operating throughout a number of police areas."We will take any action necessary to stop the supply of illegal and dangerous drugs, which cause so much harm to our communities."My message is, if you are involved in selling illegal drugs we will be coming to get you next."Around 100 police officers from Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley Organised Crime Unit, based in Kidlington, took part in the raids which began at 7am.An estimated £10,000 worth of cocaine was seized from homes in Garsington Road, Oxford, The Paddocks in Deddington and Mendip Heights, in Didcot.Around £20,000 in cash and a number of suspects' vehicles were also seized.A cocaine press - used in the supply of the drug - was also discovered by police at one of the properties.Raids took place in Crowell Road, Troy Close and Garsington Road in Cowley; Kestrel Crescent in Blackbird Leys; Stowford Road and Margaret Road in Headington; Cowley Road in East Oxford; and Arthray Road in Botley.Homes in Sage Close, Valley Road and South Bar Street, in Banbury, were also raided during the operation.
Six other raids connected with the operation were carried out in Hampshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire, leading to three arrests.A 56-year-old woman from Margaret Road, Oxford, who asked not to be named, said she saw police officers raid the house at about 7am.She said: "That house was a cannabis factory last year and we were not happy then. Now it has been raided a second time. As a neighbour I'm not happy it is happening again."A pensioner in The Paddocks, Deddington, said: "I thought we lived in a nice quiet village, but obviously we do not."Supt Brendan O'Dowda, Oxford's police commander, said: "Today's activity is evidence that we are working hard to protect our public from drug-related crime and that we are putting the organised criminal and crime syndicates firmly on the back foot."The operation was not connected to a series of 30 raids which targeted a £5.5m drug empire across London and the Home Counties, last month
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