Five drugs busts in as many days have led to the seizure of more than 3,000 cannabis plants.

Bedfordshire Police discovered around 2,000 plants and arrested two people when raiding a house in Tintern Abbey, Bedford, on Monday.

The operation followed a tip-off from residents who noticed suspicious activity at the house.

Community concerns also led officers to a large five-bedroom detached house in Cople Road, Cardington, on Monday, where another 1,000 plants were found.

Another man is in custody on suspicion of intent to supply class A drugs after a third raid on a house in Firbank Road, Bedford, on Tuesday. He was found with £1,800 in cash, and substances thought to be cocaine and MDMA.

Two people were arrested on Tuesday at a house in Pinemead, Shefford, where officers found class A drugs and property believed to have been recently stolen in a burglary.

The crackdown, part of National Tackling Drugs Week, began last Friday, when a cannabis factory was shut down at a house in Mile Road, Bedford.
Officers from the Kempston Safer Neighbourhood Team found 35 cannabis plants and hydroponics equipment.

A man, who is believed to be in his early 40s, was arrested on suspicion of cultivating the class C drug. He was taken to Greyfriars police station to help officers with their investigation.

Police said the electricity supply to the property had been tampered with.

That was also the case in Cardington, where the accommodation was rented and blacked out, a near-neighbour told the Times & Citizen. A man of Oriental origin was occasionally seen there.

Further arrests and raids have been carried out in Luton and Dunstable over the last few days.

Det Sgt John Walters said: "Although we obviously collect intelligence, execute raids and carry out arrests all the year round, this is a chance for us to really concentrate our resources and make drug dealers sit up and take notice."

If you can help, call Bedfordshire Police, in confidence, on 01234 842433, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.