A man who was arrested yesterday and charged with drug offences is due in court today following a series of dawn police raids.

23-year-old man, Dennie Jones of Shortlands Avenue, Ongar, has been charged with four counts of supplying a controlled drug and one count of offering to supply cannabis.

Four other men will appear with Jones at Basildon Magistrates’ Court this morning, Thursday June 13, who were involved in the incident.

A total of 18 people including Jones were arrested following Essex Police conducting dawn raids across Brentwood, targeting the supply of the Class A drug cocaine.

Since then, 14 people arrested in yesterday’s operation have been released under investigation pending further enquiries.

The following people will appear in court today:

• Warren Ryan, 42, of Coal Court, Grays has been charged with two counts of supplying a controlled drug.

• Thomas Kemp, 33, of Clarence Road in Pilgrims Hatch has been charged with two counts of supplying a controlled drug.

• 23-year-old Jon Maughan, of no fixed address, who has been charged with four counts of supplying a controlled drug and one count of offering to supply cocaine.

Chief Insp Lewis Basford, district Commander for Brentwood, said: “We are continuing to take our fight to the people who think they can sell drugs on the streets of our county.

“People may think that taking cocaine on their night out on a Friday or Saturday doesn’t harm anyone but they are wrong.

“There is a human cost to every single drug sold illegally. Someone, whether that is a child or vulnerable person, will have been exploited to get that drug from the person at the top of the drug dealing chain to the individual buying that on the street.

“It may be that a child is trafficked into transporting those drug packages for a dealer, or it may be that someone with a drug habit is exploited into selling cocaine and is subjected to violence unless they comply.”

Acting on information from the community, Essex Police launched an investigation in February this year targeting dealers supplying the Class A drugs.

Officers focused on people buying illegal substances in bars and pubs across the town centre at weekends.

The investigation yesterday, Wednesday June 12, resulted in execution warrants across Brentwood, Ongar, Dagenham, Grays and Romford.

Chief Insp Basford added: “Every single wrap of cocaine will be at the cost of someone’s blood or tears and we would ask people to think about that the next time they think about taking it for a laugh or a good night out.

“As this operation shows, however long it takes we will target those who think they can sell drugs on the streets of our communities.

“I would also like to send a clear message to drug dealers and criminals that they are not welcome on the streets of Brentwood or Essex.”

Brentwood Borough Council leader, Cllr Chris Hossack said; “I would like to thank the police for this morning’s successful operation which sends a powerful message to all would-be drug dealers out there, that this will not be tolerated in Brentwood.”

All of those arrested remain in custody.