Police officers in Southampton have carried out another wave of raids as part of an ongoing crackdown on drug dealing.

It is the third time in as many weeks that officers have carried out early morning raids with the promise of more to come.

Four homes in Southampton and a further four in London were raided in this latest crackdown.

The addresses targeted in Southampton were at Kingsclere Road, Hill Farm Road, Oxford Street and Greenlea Crescent, plus four properties at different locations within the capital.

In the simultaneous raids eight people were arrested. They include five men from Southampton aged 27, 30, 35, 37, 42, along with a woman from Southampton aged 31, plus two men from London aged 19 and 22 years.

All are currently being interviewed by detectives.

The warrants were executed as part of Operation Lundy, an intelligence led operation carried out by members of the Hampshire Major Investigation Team, to identify those responsible for bringing drugs into the city and the supply chain responsible for their distribution.

Officers have seized a suspected quantity of drugs which have been sent for forensic analysis plus an undisclosed amount of cash.

They also discovered a cannabis factory at one of the Southampton addresses.

Information should be given by phoning your local police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on the 'Rat on a Rat' website: www.ratonarat.co.uk