SIX men have been charged following drug raids in Southampton and London.

Police have identified the men as:
• Paul Hughes, 30, from Kingsclere Avenue, Southampton,
• Sharmke Mohammed, 27, from Hill Farm Road, Southampton,
• Joseph Horgan, 28, from Southampton,
• Phillip Walker, 42, from Greenlea Crescent, Southampton,
• Ahmed Salim, 22, from Villas Road, London,
• Justin Barton, 19, from Crockenhill Road, London.

They have all been charged with conspiring to supply Class A drugs and were due to attend Southampton Magistrates Court this morning.

Two men from Southampton aged 35 and 37 years have been bailed until February 28, pending further enquiries. A 31 year old Southampton woman who was also arrested remains in police custody while detectives continue to question her.

As reported yesterday, the arrests are a result of three early morning raids in as many weeks, with the promise of more to come as police continue their crackdown on those believed to be involved in the supply of illegal drugs in the city. All the warrants were executed as part of Operation Lundy, an intelligence led operation carried out by members of the Hampshire Major Investigation Team (HMIT), to identify those responsible for bringing drugs into the city and the supply chain responsible for their distribution. HMIT Acting Detective Sergeant Ben Thomas who has co-ordinated all three of the raids said: “Yesterday, HMIT officers seized an estimated £15,000 of suspected Class A drugs plus an undisclosed amount of cash linked to their supply, as well as discovering a cannabis factory. "In addition, we have severely disrupted the drugs supply chain by arresting 18 people involved in the supply of drugs across the city which prompts a warning to others, when we gather evidence of anyone connected in the supply of illegal drugs, further raids and arrests will follow. You have been warned.”

Detective Chief Inspector Kath Barnes added: “I said last week that we would be relentless in our pursuit to identify and target those who blight our neighbourhoods through their involvement in the supply of illegal drugs. I would like to remind those people who choose to lead this lifestyle that we will continue to target homes we believe to be used as hubs to distribute drugs across the city and we will arrest those responsible.

“Where we find evidence that offenders are profiting from a lifestyle of crime, we will seize and restrain assets, taking every step to ensure that drugs dealers do not profit from the misery they impose upon others.

“I would like to ask the residents of Southampton to keep us informed about anyone they suspect of being involved in the supply of Class A drugs, and we will in turn keep them informed about our work to make their neighbourhoods safer places to live, work and visit.”

Anyone with information that could help the operation by calling their local police station on 101, phoning or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by leaving information anonymously on the ‘Rat on a Rat’ website at ratonarat.co.uk.