VIDEO: Early morning drug raids in Eastwood

Three homes on Selwyn Street were raided just after 8am as part of Operation Duxford and more warrants are due to be executed today.

Asst Chief Con David Hartley said officers would be carrying out intensive searches of the properties and arrests would be made if any drugs or stolen items were found.

Mr Hartley said: “We have got a full day of action where we will liaise with the community and listen to any issues they have on crime and disorder and tackle those problems.

“The execution of warrants is taking place across Rotherham.

“This is demonstrating what South Yorkshire Police does every day – every day our officers are getting in harm’s way to keep the public safe.

“(The operation) is around crime and disorder, and that includes drug dealing and the issues that blight our communities and we will tackle it head on.”

He added: “When we raid a property we will speak to the family that are in there and there will be two officers in each room. It can take a couple of hours to search the property.

“If we find any stolen property or controlled drugs then arrests will be made and we will take them away for tests.

“If it’s stolen property there will be research around where that came from.

“If there are drugs we can arrest people on suspicion of what we believe it is and then send it away so we can identify exactly what it is.”

Officers have also joined forces with Trading Standards and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on the operation.