Five charged during drugs and violence operation

Ch Insp Dave Browning said drug dealing was "inextricably linked with serious violence and we have officers working determinedly to tackle it"

Five men have been charged as part of an investigation into the supply of Class A drugs in Southend.

Essex Police carried out an operation on Thursday after several incidents of "serious violence" in the city.

The five arrested were aged between 26 and 34 and were from Shortstown near Bedford, Shoebury in Southend, Wakefield in West Yorkshire and London, and were due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

Ch Insp Dave Browning said police sought to "disrupt and dismantle drug gangs" operating in Southend "which are also linked to incidents of serious violence".

Meanwhile, the force said two more people had been arrested during investigations into violence, however those arrests were not linked directly to the five people who have been charged.

An 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of four counts of breaching a community protection warning, and GBH with intent after an incident in Southend on Sunday, 15 September.

Officers also arrested a 19-year-old on suspicion of assault in relation to an incident on Southchurch Road on Sunday, 6 October.

Det Ch Insp Rachel Jeffery said: “These arrests are clearly significant steps forward in our response to a number of incidents of violence in Southend and also shows the value of the targeted work we’re carrying out in the city.

"Not only are we taking action against the people we believe to have been involved in violence, but also against people who we believe likely to be involved in violence.

"I have no doubt the actions of officers over the last few days will have prevented other incidents of serious violence."