AN OPERATION to tackle violent gangs travelling from London to make thousands of pounds a day dealing drugs in north Essex has led to more than 100 arrests.

One year since its launch Operation Saturn has helped Essex Police make 117 arrests and seize £183,000 drugs.

For several years there was, and continues to be, a problem with drug dealers, travelling here from the capital.

Many are armed with knives and are willing to use them.

Essex Police launched an operation to try and reduce the impact they were having across Colchester, Tendring, Braintree, Maldon and Chelmsford.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Criminals from London were known to be dealing drugs, targeting vulnerable people and be involved in violence such as street robbery.

"Intelligence also indicated they were believed to be making than £4,000 a day from selling drugs in each major town in the North Local Policing Area."

During the past year 61 warrants and raids have been carried out.

These include:

  • 29 in Clacton
  • 14 in Colchester
  • 13 in Chelmsford and Maldon
  • Five in Braintree

The 117 arrests include:

  • 57 in Clacton
  • 33 in Colchester
  • 18 in Chelmsford and Maldon
  • Nine in Braintree

70 people were charged for offences including robbery, possession with intent to supply, possession of an offensive weapon and a variety of violent assaults.

Drugs seized included crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, amphetamines and mephedrone.

The combined street value was in the region of £183,265.

Sentences have been handed out from cautions to five years in jail.

The raids include a crackhouse in Beach Road, Clacton, which was shut down with £13,500 cash seized.

Those using the drugs have been offered support and help from charities and partners in the health service.

Det Chief Insp John Ross said: "We are determined to work with our communities to keep them safe from this unwelcome criminality.

"The success of Op Saturn over the last year has demonstrated our commitment to targeting criminal gangs by acting on information from the public.

"This relationship is vital to our success in this task and I urge anyone with information about this to contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

"Essex continues to be a very safe place to live and we want to make it clear that gangs are not welcome here.”