More than 30 specially trained officers met at 6am at Newbury police station and were briefed on the seven addresses to be raided as part of Operation Farewell.

Operation Farewell - which had been in the planning since last year - centered on the associates of a local man known to use drugs who was found dead at his Craven Road flat in Newbury in January . His death is not being treated as suspicious at this time. Despite his death officers leading the operation decided to press ahead with trying to arrest his alleged associates.

Officers were searching for stolen goods and drugs and were exercising warrants obtained under the Theft Act.

Addresses at Dickens Walk in Greenham, St John’s Gardens in Newbury, Crowfield Drive in Thatcham, Glendale Avenue in Wash Common and London Road, Newbury, were raided at dawn this morning. Some of the addresses were empty. No arrests were made but stolen property was seized.

At the same time this morning, an address in Faeroe Close, Popley, Basingstoke, was also raided by Thames Valley officers as part of this warrant and two arrests were made in connection with theft offences. Two men aged in their 20s and 40s were arrested and are currently being questioned in Newbury police station.

Another man was arrested at the St John’s Gardens address after a stolen child’s bike was found in the premises but was released with a caution.