A MAJOR police operation targeting city drug dealers who attempt to infiltrate Suffolk has resulted in more than 60 arrests, it has emerged. The crackdown - codenamed Operation Academy - focuses on drug suspects who frequent Ipswich and have alleged links to gun crime in London.

A MAJOR police operation targeting city drug dealers who attempt to infiltrate Suffolk has resulted in more than 60 arrests, it has emerged.

The crackdown - codenamed Operation Academy - focuses on drug suspects who frequent Ipswich and have alleged links to gun crime in London.

Since its launch in January, officers in Suffolk have arrested 62 alleged offenders, many of whom were from London although some were from Manchester and Essex.

They have also seized more than £4,000 in cash, 140 wraps of heroin, 94 wraps of crack, 13 large bags of cannabis, two BB guns and a throwing knife.

Detective Chief Inspector Louisa Pepper, southern area crime manager, said that Suffolk had no more of a problem than anywhere else and calmed fears that increased drug activity could lead to serious gun crime, saying no real guns had been recovered during the operation.

She said: “These individuals who deal in Class A drugs are a priority for us and we will target our resources at that level of criminality to ensure we tackle the issues that are of concern to the community.

“It's a safe county and it's somewhere where we all live and we don't want this for our families and children.”