Police have seized heroin with an estimated street value of £15,000 from a Colchester estate.

Officers from the force's undercover drug unit swooped on the house in the Monkwick area of the town.

A quantity of what officers believe to be crack cocaine was also found at the Bardfield Road address and has today been sent for forensic tests.

The seize at 9am on Thursday is one of the largest hauls made since the drugs unit was set up in July to tackle drugs crime.

In October £20,000 worth of heroin was recovered after officers stopped a car at Mulberry Avenue, Barn Hall, Colchester.

And last month £3,000 worth of heroin and cocaine was recovered by police officers.

An Essex police spokesman said: "This unit has been set up since July and in that time we have made four big seizures and numerous smaller ones.

"The information is getting to us and we are able to act on it."

A man in his 40s from Colchester was due to appear before town magistrates on Friday charged with possession of a class a drug with intent to supply.

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