Men from Dagenham and Brentwood were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences in a series of dawn raids targeting serious and organised crime.

Drugs, cash, weapons and designer jewellery were seized as more than 100 police officers and staff executed warrants at six properties in London, Essex and Hertfordshire in the early hours of Wednesday (February 16).

Four men were arrested, including a 32-year-old man from Dagenham on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, namely cocaine.

A man from Brentwood, also 32, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs - allegedly 100kg of cocaine - and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, namely ketamine.

Det Ch Insp Driss Hayoukane, of the Met’s specialist crime, said: "The investigations aim to cut violence at the very source and we know serious violence in London has reduced and it is thanks to operations such as this."

Properties in Dagenham and West Drayton in London, Brentwood and Chelmsford in Essex and Baldock in Hertfordshire were raided around 4.30am.

Police say Class A drugs, a total of around £15,000 cash, offensive weapons and designer jewellery - including Rolex watches and Cartier bangles - were seized.

The four arrests are being treated as separate investigations "targeting the wholesale supply of drugs, firearms and associated criminality", according to Scotland Yard.

Police say all four remain in police custody while investigations continue.

Freezing orders have also been obtained for the accounts and property of some of the men.

The other arrests included a 31-year-old man from Chelmsford on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs - namely cocaine - and possession of an offensive weapon, two lock knives and a machete.

A 43-year-old man from West Drayton was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to possess a firearm without certificate, conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, possession with intent to supply cocaine and possession of criminal property.