POLICE have arrested seven men after a series of dawn raids in the region yesterday morning.

Officers swooped on nine properties in Reading, Woodley and Earley at 6am as well as addresses in Milton Keynes and Datchet as part of a crackdown on drug dealing and serious crime.

A total of six arrests were made in Berkshire, two from Earley on suspicion of being in possession of a Class B drug, one from Woodley on suspicion of possession of criminal property and three from Reading on suspicion of being in possession of Class A drugs.

While a 34-year-old man from Earley was released without charge, another Earley man, a man from Woodley and two men from Reading, aged 23, 30, 47 and 25 respectively, were bailed until October. The last man, of Kingsbridge Road in Reading, was bailed until Friday, August 15.

Officers also arrested a 28-year-old from Furzton, near Milton Keynes, on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and bailed him until September.

Raids were carried out simultaneously in Basingstoke Road, Northumberland Avenue, Kingsbridge Road and London Road as well as Erleigh Court Gardens, Palmerstone Road, Chiltern Crescent and two homes in Rosedale Crescent. Houses in Challacombe, Furzton, near Milton Keynes, and Datchet Road, Datchet, were also targeted.