Laura Bagshaw A SERIES of dawn raids in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston resulted in the arrest of 12 suspected drug dealers. A large haul of drugs believed to be cannabis, heroin and cocaine, along with a quantity of cash, were seized by police on Wednesday and Thursday last week.

Laura Bagshaw

A SERIES of dawn raids in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston resulted in the arrest of 12 suspected drug dealers.

A large haul of drugs believed to be cannabis, heroin and cocaine, along with a quantity of cash, were seized by police on Wednesday and Thursday last week.

Following on from the raids on 10 homes, officers from the borough's Safer Neighbourhood Teams distributed hundreds of leaflets reassuring families of their commitment to drive drugs out of the community.

The raids were part of a priority day in Yarmouth in which police tackled a variety of issues including truancy as well as carrying out checks on local pubs.

Police, along with officers from Norfolk County Council's Trading Standards team and Custom and Excise, visited three pubs in the area to carry out licence checks. In Yarmouth, the team visited the Duke's Head on Hall Quay and Peggotty's on King Street, while checks were also carried out at the Lord Nelson, on Trafalgar Road West in Gorleston. Checks on all three pubs were negative.

Staff from Trading Standards checked levels of measures, products and tested brand alcohol to ensure it was not being substituted with a cheaper brand.

Trading Standards officer Julie Smith said their role was to ensure customers were not being ripped off or misled. She added that under their powers of enforcement Trading Standards could hand out warnings and if it has enough evidence prosecute landlords.

In the afternoon, police delivered questionnaires and spoke to members of the community at the Barrack Estate to find out what police could do to improve the area and quality of life for the people who live their.

The team received more than 100 replies highlighting problems with youths, environmental and rubbish issues, untaxed vehicles and drug abuse.

The priority day also saw workers from children's services visit schools in the borough and focus on truancy. Workers obtained a list of absent pupils and made home visits - checking on the children's welfare and the reasons why they were not at school.

Officers from the local SNT also manned a stand in Market Gates Shopping Centre handing out advice and information.