Arrests as third person dies in drugs supply probe

Three people have been arrested after a third person died in what police believed were a series of drug-related deaths.

Essex Police has been investigating the supply of Class A drugs in Colchester after two people died over the weekend.

A third death was reported to the force on Tuesday and a fourth man who fell ill was saved by medics.

A 20-year-old man from London has been charged in the investigation and two others have been arrested.

The man was due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, charged with with two offences of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of a knife.

Police said he was located in Colchester and arrested after being pursued by officers.

A separate raid executed on Tuesday evening saw two men arrested in Wanstead, east London, on suspicion of drug supply offences and they were taken into custody for questioning.

Police said "significant items" were seized from all three men during the arrests.

They added that two people who were found at an address in Colchester during inquiries were being treated as victims of cuckooing.

Insp Mark Jones, of Essex Police's Operation Raptor team which tackles drugs gangs, said the items officers had recovered would be central to the investigation.

"The speed at which this investigation progressed as a result of three tragic deaths in Colchester has led to three very significant arrests," he said.

"These arrests – and the one charge secured at this stage – of course in no way make up for the loss of life in Colchester.

"But make no mistake, if people think they can act above the law and supply illicit drugs in Essex we will take the most robust action available to us."

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