'Op Season's Greetings' seizes £430,000 of drugs

Police have said figures for the amount of drugs seized in the first two weeks of December make for "stark reading"

Eighty-five people have been arrested following 163 drug seizures as part of a major pre-Christmas crackdown by police on street-level dealing.

As part of Operation Season's Greetings, raids carried out during the first two weeks of December saw £429,258 worth of drugs seized.

Heroin, cannabis, cocaine and prescription medicine were among the drugs recovered.

Ch Insp Jonathan Roberts said the figures made for "stark reading".

"We have made communities in Northern Ireland safer by removing this substantial amount of drugs from circulation on our streets," he said.

"These figures are reflective of the work that goes on daily by our police officers who tackle the threat and harm of illegal drug activity throughout the year."

He said while the number of drug seizures had increased in recent years, police would need the assistance of partner organisation and local communities to "find long lasting solutions to tackle drug abuse".

Operation Season's Greetings takes place annually to tackle crime in the run-up to Christmas.