Police teams carried out nine raids over a week in Helensburgh, as well as others in the Dumbarton, Renton, Alexandria, and Clydebank areas.

Over the week, 22 warrants were acted upon – with a total of 26 people being arrested under the misuse of drugs act.

As part of the operation, a woman in Helensburgh was reported for allegedly possessing 257 grams of cocaine – said by police to be worth £10,280.

The woman, aged 41, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week, charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, where she made no plea or declaration. She will appear again at a later date.

Nearly £5000 of cash was also seized by police during the raids.

DCI Callum Young said: “There have been some significant recoveries. We have this image of the wee sea side community, but there clearly is an issue in Helensburgh. The public will see activity and we will always follow up on information given to us.” The operation is ongoing, but the ‘focus’ has been on Helensburgh recently.

DCI Young said the ‘fallout’ from drugs had knock-on effects, adding: “It’s not just drugs, its the violence and threats of violence associated with it.” Police recovered just under £100,000 of drugs – including cocaine, amphetamines, herbal cannabis, and cannabis resin – during the targeted crackdown in Helensburgh, Dumbarton, and the Vale of Leven.

DCI Young said: “What we are doing just now is really engaging with those who deal in drugs. We will continue this for the time being.” Detective Inspector Andy Docherty, who leads the local team, said information given to police was important – and appealed for anyone with concerns to get in touch.

DCI Young supported this, adding: “They [the public] are telling us about people who are blighting the community. Clearly that is a concern to them. This operation that has been running has had some really good results. There has been both drugs and cash seized.” “That can be through any form they wish – Crimestoppers or calling us.

“The people who deal in this sort of activity – it’s not a simple case of they sell drugs.

“There is nothing glamourous about it. It impacts everyone around them.” The Advertiser team went out with police on three of the planned operations, one targeting a flat at Duchess Court in Helensburgh, and the other was working off intelligence cannabis was being grown in a disused restaurant on East Clyde Street. The searches yielded nothing, however others throughout the week proved positive for police.

The team carrying out a bust take part in a briefing before they leave Dumbarton HQ – with each officer having to read the warrant issued by a sheriff. Without this the officer are not able to enforce the warrant.

The teams leave the station and drive to the planned address, using equipment to break down doors to gain entry to the property. The warrant issued by the sheriff allows the police to break down any door in the path to get to the property – which can include security doors on the entrances to blocks of flats, and locked doors within the property.

A thorough search is then conducted, with evidence being recorded by video cameras.

Councillor Vivien Dance, chairwoman of the Crime Prevention Panel in the area, said: “No major issue on drugs has been reported or discussed at the Crime Prevention Panel in the last year, so I have no real evidence of how much of an issue this is for the town, but in today’s world there will always be a few who use and distribute drugs. It is a problem that has blighted some parts of our community for many years, but the Helensburgh and Lomond area is still a very safe place to live, work and play and I have every confidence in the way the police target specific problems and resolve them.”