POLICE dressed in riot gear swooped on an address in York in the latest in a series of drugs raids as part of Operation Holland.

The raid took place at a flat in George Street, off Walmgate, at around 10.30am yesterday.

CID and uniformed officers backed up by a specialist squad from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) police battered down the door of a flat before searching the premises.

A sniffer dog was also brought in to help with the search and a quantity of a suspected class A drug was found and taken away for tests.

Acting Inspector Vicky Burton said a man found at the address had been arrested on suspicion of supplying a class A drug and conspiracy to supply a class A drug.

He was being questioned yesterday afternoon.

Acting Insp Burton said: "It's been another successful operation as part of Operation Holland.

"We will be - and are continuing - to relentlessly pursue the drug dealers in the York area and we are expecting a series of charges to be brought against these individuals."

In total, nine officers were involved in the operation. These included a squad of MOD officers based at RAF Dishforth, who are specialists in entry and search techniques and give operational support to North Yorkshire Police when requested.

Acting Insp Burton said York Police liked to work with partner agencies as it provided different perspectives.

She said: "They will get used to a specific type of search as do we, so we can learn from each other."

In total, 16 people have now been arrested as part of Operation Holland and a quantity of drugs and money seized.

Last week, The Press reported how police launched a series of dawn raids against five addresses in the area with a large amount of suspected crack cocaine and heroin being found along with stolen property and £3,000 in cash.


Cops swoop on travellers' site

POLICE were also in operation at the travellers' site in Osbaldwick Road, York, yesterday morning.

Inspector Mark Khan, of York Police, said two officers executed a search warrant at 8.30am at a property on the site.

As a result of the search, a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary in connection with a series of break-ins in Murton.

Insp Khan said it had been a low-key operation.

He said: "We did not want to disrupt the lives of other people on the site.

"As it happened, people on the site were very cooperative."