POLICE seized £24,000 of suspected cannabis plants and arrested one man in a drugs bust on a house in Watchet.

Officers from Dulverton and Williton swooped on the unnamed property last Wednesday with help from colleagues from Taunton.

They found more than 80 plants and hydroponics equipment used to cultivate cannabis.

It was the second successful drugs search in just a few days in West Somerset area, after 14 cannabis plants and a number of pills were seized from a property in Dunster on Friday, August 13.

PC Gary Brereton of Dulverton police station said: "This police action is as a direct result of the police and community working together.

"Drug use and the crime committed to fund that drug use can cause misery to our local communities.

"In this case, the community has spoken out and officers from the local Safer Stronger Neighbourhood teams have responded accordingly."

The man arrested in Watchet was later released on police bail to return to Minehead police station at a later date.

The drugs bust came at the end of a three month force-wide operation, Operation Viscount, which has targeted cannabis factories across Avon and Somerset.

The operation was launched as a result of a national rise in the number of large cannabis factories being uncovered by police across the UK.

During the operation, Avon and Somerset police searched 73 premises and seized 7,100 cannabis plants with an approximate street value of £6.6 million.

Drug strategy manager Paul Bunt, who ran the operation, said: "We launched the operation to disrupt and dismantle this type of criminal activity and send out a clear message that the cultivation or supply of drugs will not be tolerated in the Avon and Somerset force area."

Anyone who has information about the people involved in the cultivation or supply of drugs, should contact Avon and Somerset police on 0845 4567000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.