Shropshire drugs raid suspects quizzed by police
Police were today questioning more than 20 people arrested during major drug raids across Shropshire.
More than 300 officers in 100 vehicles forced their way into 30 addresses in the county during simultaneous raids at 7.30am yesterday morning.
The raids resulted in 24 arrests - 19 men and five women - and the majority of the raids were focused on the Telford area, with properties targeted in Arleston, Brookside, Wellington and Hadley.
Raids were also carried out in Shifnal, Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.
Today 23 people remained in custody. A woman is her early 30s has been bailed pending further inquiries.
Chris Ammonds, spokesman for West Mercia Police, said: "Officers expect to ask for the period of detention to be extended to continue with questioning in order for charges to be brought."
The operation was described as "one of the biggest" to be carried out jointly by West Mercia and Warwickshire police forces.
Riot vans, patrol cars and unmarked vehicles from both forces gathered near Cosford before dawn yesterday before travelling in convoy along the M54 and splitting off to carry out the separate simultaneous raids across the county.
Battering rams were used to force their way into each address before teams of 10 officers carried out searches.
Officers were also armed with chainsaws to help them access properties.
Police chiefs have vowed to continue a crack down on drugs in Telford, pledging that the raids were just the start and tackling drug use in the area was a priority.
