SUSPECTED dealers from a Somali drugs gang were arrested following dawn raids in Worcester four years ago this month.

Seven people were arrested as officers in balaclavas and body armour used a chainsaw and metal battering ram to hack and smash their way inside two properties, one in Newtown Road and the other in Lichfield Avenue, Ronkswood, at around 6.35am on April 7, 2016. Some members of the gang were later jailed for their role in the drugs conspiracy.

The door in Lichfield Avenue was split in half by blows from the enforcer, dubbed ‘the big red key’ by officers.

The more modern door in Newtown Road proved a tougher task, requiring the combined use of a chainsaw and an enforcer.

Six men were arrested at the Lichfield Avenue address on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and money laundering.

A woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of class A drugs (heroin) at the Newtown Road address.

Mobile phones and thousands of pounds in cash were seized by officers and examined forensically to link suspects to the offences.

The suspects were transported via a convoy of five marked police vehicles to Worcester Police Station in Castle Street, Worcester.

One of the suspects said ‘no pictures!’ to the Worcester News photographer/reporter when led away in handcuffs as people gathered to watch from windows in the block of flats at Lichfield Avenue.

A woman shouted out of her window “They’re all coming out of the woodwork now!” and another said ‘get them all out!”

A neighbour in the block of flats who did not want to be named said: “It’s filth. I’m over the moon they have been arrested.

"There’s children live in this block. I think it’s appalling. I’ve seen people on the bench outside gouching (slang for people who become drowsy under the influence of heroin). "We’re wanting to be rehoused. Living here is a nightmare.”

After the suspects were arrested trained officers and drugs dogs were called in to search for any hidden drugs.

In total 18 officers were involved in the raids, part of Operation Lyra.

The raids were led by Detective Sergeant Jamie Francis of Worcestershire Priority CID Team and supported by officers from Hereford Proactive CID.

Worcestershire Priority CID had recorded 109 arrests since January 4, 2016 all for serious crime.

Detective inspector Stuart Murphy of Worcestershire Priority CID team said: “This shows that the police will not tolerate drug dealing.

"We will not tolerate vulnerable people’s premises being taken over by drug dealers from out of town.

"We will act on community intelligence and we hope that sends out a clear message to those considering dealing in controlled drugs. If the intelligence supports it, we will be coming through your door.”

In August 2016 we reported how three of the Somali drug dealers were jailed at Worcester Crown Court after all three admitted conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

Kamal Liban, then 19, of Leicester was sentenced to three years and four months, Abdlmahad Adow, the aged 20, of London was sentenced to four years and Abdirahim Said, then aged 20, was also sentenced to four years.

The youngest member of the gang was spared jail in a separate hearing.

Adem Benmessahel was only 17 when police carried out the raids. He was given two years in a young offenders institution suspended for two years with supervision by the probation service.

He also had to undertake 180 hours of unpaid work and be subject to an electronically tagged curfew at an address in Leicester between 7pm and 7am for six months.