POLICE in West Fife have launched a drug-busting operation. 

Operation Prospect has searched more than 60 addresses since beginning in April.

Helped by intelligence from the community, controlled drugs worth more than £180,000 have been recovered over the past few months and numerous arrests have been made.

The campaign aims to tackle the supply of drugs and substance misuse and the Press was invited on Wednesday to find out what happens when community officers, a search team, dog handlers and a public order unit hit the streets to visit suspect properties as part of the crackdown. 

Detective Chief Inspector Scott Cunningham, leader of Operation Prospect, told the team in the briefing room: "This is not just about bashing down doors but also taking drugs off our streets.

"Drug deaths are on the increase and we we want to make our communities safe.

"We have arrested lots of men and women in the last few months and some juveniles too. 

"Drug-dealing has a negative impact on our communities."

In the first raid of the day, three police vans, one marked car and one unmarked car attended a property in Oakley on Sir George Bruce Road, where officers were acting on a tip-off to find heroin. 

Clad in protective gear, the public order unit forced their way into a flat, which is part of a council block, at about 9.45am. 

Two people were detained while more officers searched the premises but by 10.15am nothing had been found. 

While waiting around it was beginning to become clear that there might be no results and it can be disappointing for the team. 

However, Community Inspector Ian Flynn said: "We may draw a blank at certain addresses, but by acting on the intelligence being supplied by the public, we are still putting out a strong message that we will act upon their information. 

"It can be disappointing for my staff when they do not find drugs as they put a lot of effort into the execution of a drugs warrant, but regardless it is a strong message to the public that we are acting upon their concerns and information."

A further four search warrants were executed during the day at addresses in Oakley, Lochgelly, Lochore and Dunfermline, where six mature cannabis plants, a quantity of herbal cannabis and a small amount of methadone, with a combined estimated street value of more than £5,000, were seized. 

DCI Cunningham said: "Five people are currently in custody in connection with our ongoing inquires.

"I'd like to thank the public for their support and reassure residents that we are committed to removing drugs from our communities and tackling associated criminality.

"Information from the public is vital in helping us achieve this and be passed to Police Scotland on 101 or, alternatively, reported anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Now one of the biggest operations in the West Fife area, Fife's drug dealers are being warned that the police could come knocking at any time, with the element of surprise being the major part of it's success.

Area commander, Chief Inspector Irene Ralston, said the police were acting on locally-sourced intelligence to clamp down on drugs. 

"Drug-dealing is particularly disturbing when you have callers going back and forth from houses, it can get into the hands of young people and users are trapped in a vicious circle," she said. 

"There are no particular hotspots so people should never be complacent.

"If people have real concerns in relation to what's going on in their area, they should raise it with us or raise it with the housing team."