Officers have seized drugs worth almost half a million pounds over the same period.

Operation Foil, aimed at heroin, led to 252 houses being searched. Drugs were discovered in 165 of them.

Heroin was found in 43 homes and around £107,000 in cash was recovered. Three people are appearing in court on Friday.

The largest single recovery was made valued at £120,000.

Police said a large amount of stolen goods had been found including counterfeit CDs, clothing, alcohol and tobacco on which no duty has been paid.

Child protection issues had also been tackled by police.

A spokeswoman said: "These results clearly demonstrate that this operation has had a dramatic effect in disrupting the flow of drugs in the force areas.

"Intelligence gathered during the operation will also be used to continue our attack on heroin in the community."

Glasgow haul

One of this year's biggest hauls of heroin in Glasgow was found on Friday.

The drugs, which have an estimated street value of £500,000, were found in a minibus in east end of the city.

A 46-year-old man was arrested in connection. A Strathclyde Police police spokesman said: "If confirmed this latest seizure will bring the total value of all drugs seized in the force area since October to over £4m."

The recovery also comes as the number of drugs-related deaths in the Strathclyde Police area stands at 95 - the highest level since the 1995 total of 102.