Police have closed a house where more than £9,000 worth of drugs have been seized during a search yesterday (Wednesday).

North Somerset Magistrates Court granted an application to close the property in Tanning Drive, in Highbridge, for three months, which was used by county lines criminals.

Among the items seized were 15 mobile phones, weapons including a hunting knife and a suspected imitation firearm.

Chief inspector, Justin French, said: “County lines drug dealing is a scourge affecting our communities and we want to reassure the public that despite these unprecedented times, tackling and dismantling county lines networks remains one of our top priorities.

“We want to disrupt these ruthless gangs who will stop at nothing to exploit the most vulnerable for their own benefit.”

Evidence supporting the closure application included disturbances in the street outside the property, a vehicle damaged by offenders with a baseball bat, including a serious assault at the property.

Police say there was also further disturbances at the property and communal areas, as well as people coming out of the house under the influence of drugs and paraphernalia found within the home.

Inspector French added: “We rely on residents to provide us with information and I’d encourage anyone with concerns about crime or anti-social behaviour in their community to contact their local neighbourhood team. The more evidence we can gather in these and similar situations, the stronger the case we can present at court.”

Anti-social behaviour manager, Cerwyn Pritchard, who led the closure order application, added that the court order sends a ‘clear message’ that drug misuse and that anti-social behaviour ‘will not be tolerated’ by Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Pritchard added: “The conduct of those living at the property and visitors to the address has had a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of their neighbours, to the point where some felt afraid to continue living a normal life.”

A spokesman from LiveWest, which owns the property, said it urges its residents to keep helping the company to tackle anti-social behaviour and drug use to ensure all communities remain ‘safe places to live’.