An Italian restaurant was raided by police during a drug bust which uncovered a sizable amount of drugs.

Hampshire police confirmed that officers carried out a warrant at Puccini's on Shirley Road at around 2pm on Friday and found a “significant” amount of suspected class A drugs there.

Since then, officers arrested six people on suspicion of being concerned with the supply of Class A drugs – a 29-year-old woman and five men aged 18, 22, 32, 34 and 44.

READ MORE: Six arrests after drugs bust carried out in Southampton

All six were taken into custody - but have now been released on conditional bail until August 3 while investigations continue.

Named after the famous Italian opera composer, the restaurant has been a staple of Shirley Road for years - well-known for its eat-free-on-your-birthday promotion.

It also has an outside terrace used for al fresco dining in the summer.

Popular dishes on the menu include Italian tapas and a sweet, chocolate-stuffed calzone.

The warrant was part of the ongoing efforts by the police to target and disrupt the supply of drugs in Southampton, the force said at the time.

A spokesperson for the force said in a statement: “Drug supply exploits the most vulnerable members of our society and causes harm, violence and misery which is why we will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved.

“Please let us know if you have any information about drug supply in Southampton – you may not always see an immediate police deployment, but every piece of information you provide will help us work behind the scenes to build up a bigger picture, allowing us to take action.

“You can report information to us by calling 101, visiting our website or by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers online or on 0800 555 111.”