SEVEN arrests made following a series of dawn raids yesterday were just the start of a war on organised crime and drugs in the county by the police.

More than 100 officers raided seven properties in Oxford as part of Operation Raise to cut the supply of the drug mephedrone, also known as Meow Meow or M-Kat.

Thames Valley Police Det Chief Insp Darran Hill said the arrests would have a “significant” impact on access to the drug in Oxfordshire.

Mr Hill, of the Specialist Operations Unit, said he was committed to tackling organised crime across the county and that he wanted to create a “toxic environment” for individuals involved in it.

He said: “The activity that we have undertaken today will have a significant impact on the access to the drug in Oxfordshire.

“This is a particularly complex and significant investigation against an organised group who are believed to be operating at a high level.

“It has taken us 18 months to get to this stage and our officers have placed a significant investment of time to get to the point today were we were able to undergo these arrests.

“The group of individuals were not operating on the ground level. We believe they were operating at the higher end of the scale.

“This will certainly open up a new phase of investigation and I would like to think it will lead to further arrests.”

Addresses in Blenheim Way, Danvers Road, Rowan Grove, Wilkins Road, The Oval, Werrell Drive and Corruna Crescent in Oxford were raided yesterday at about 6am.

Another four properties were raided as part of the operation, in Margaret Road, Banbury; Hailey Road, Chipping Norton; Hulbert End, Aylesbury and Kennelworth Road, Middlesex.

Police said seven men aged 36, 27, 37, 39, 38, 48 and 30, all from Oxford, had been arrested on various drugs offences and were in custody last night.

Mr Hill said mephedrone was not a bigger problem in Oxford compared to the rest of the UK, but said the force was aware of its presence and that it was being imported from other places.

He added there had been a “significant” amount of M-Kat that had been taken from the addresses but said it was currently being analysed for further substances.

A cannabis farm of about 50 plants was found in a property in Wilkins Road and two cars, including an Audi Q7, were also seized.