Six people have been arrested in Belfast on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.
It follows a police operation into the criminal activities of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in East Belfast.
PSNI officers from the Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF), supported by local police, carried out seven searches in East and North Belfast, Ards and Newtownabbey.
Five men, aged between 24 and 40 and a 46-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
Suspected illegal drugs were found at four of the addresses searched.
“The East Belfast UVF has been a priority for the PCTF since its inception due to the breadth and scale of their involvement in serious crime, including the supply of drugs and the violence and coercion that goes hand in hand with this,” PSNI Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts said.
“As with all of the key groups under investigation by the PCTF, they exist for the sole purpose of exploiting and controlling their own communities,” he said.
“Criminals that involve themselves in illegal drugs cause serious harm and misery in the community and can expect to be the subject of police investigation. They can expect to be arrested and every effort to be made to put them before the court,” he said.
Two men aged 32 and 40 have been charged with being concerned in the supply of a class A controlled drug and possession of a class A controlled drug,
Two men, both aged 24 have been charged with being concerned in the supply of a Class A controlled drug and possession of a class B controlled drug.
One woman aged 46 and a 37 year old man have been charged with being concerned in the supply of a class A controlled drug.
All are due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 18 April.
“I would like to thank the community for their continued support and assistance as we tackle criminality through the criminal justice system. I also urge any member of the community who is living in fear of criminals to contact their local neighbourhood police on 101. Alternatively information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime,” added PSNI Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts.