More than 20 charged in drugs raids across Exeter

More than 20 people have been charged in an effort to stifle the supply of hard drugs in to Exeter and Devon from major UK cities.

'Operation Cleft' is an effort to target known suppliers of highly addictive Class A drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine.

We followed Devon and Cornwall Police officers on a morning raid in the Arena Park area of Exeter, where two homes were searched and two arrests were made.

Officers told us the operation was an effort to break the supply chain:

It highlights a growing problem for Exeter, of organised drugs gangs from areas like London, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, taking over the supply and trade of drugs in the city.

In August this year, three members of the infamous 'Chyna Gang' from the West Midlands werejailed for a total of more than 60 years for falsely imprisoning and raping a woman, along with tracking down a rival gang member to Exeter and stabbing him.

Often it is the most vulnerable people who are targetted by these big city gangs.

In August of this year, Liverpool Ryan Carney described Exeter as "a gold mine" as he took over a vulnerable addict's home, and used it as a base to sell drugs in a process known as "cuckooing". Where drugs suppliers will coerce themselves into the home of an addict and eventually try to take over the premises.

Exeter has one of the highest rates of homelessness for a UK city outside of London.

It's thought many rough sleepers who are also addicts, provide a steady demand for Class A drugs, attracting gangs to the city.