A three-day police operation targeting high-harm offenders across north and east Hampshire led to 20 arrests and 16 vehicles being seized.

Scores of officers stopped 96 vehicles during the operation, which took place between April 21 and April 23.

They patrolled arterial routes in the north and east of the county, using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) to target those who travel across force boundaries to carry out crimes.

Operation Pandilla was co-ordinated with nine other forces, including Surrey Police, Thames Valley Police and Sussex Police.

Support was also provided from the sky via a fixed-wing aircraft from the National Police Air Service.

In Hampshire, officers made 20 arrests, stopped 96 vehicles, seized 16 of them and carried out 15 drugs seizures.

Locations covered included Aldershot, Basingstoke, East Hampshire, Fareham and Gosport, Havant and Waterlooville, Portsmouth, Test Valley and Winchester.

In one of incidents, officers stopped a car on the A3(M) northbound near Petersfield at about 5.15pm on April 21. Three phones were found in the car, showing suspected marketing messages for drugs. A 26-year-old man from Kent and a 25-year-old woman from Fareham were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug. They have since been released on police bail with conditions pending further enquiries.

At about 5.40pm on April 23, officers in an unmarked car witnessed suspected drug-related activity in the car park of Horizon Retail Park in Farnborough.

Officers approached the occupant of a parked vehicle and carried out a search. Several small bags of suspected Class A drugs were found in the car. A 26-year-old man from London was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug. He has been released on police bail while enquiries continue.

A 20-year-old man from Waterlooville, a 19-year-old man from Havant, a 19-year-old man from Waterlooville and an 18-year-old man from Havant were arrested and are currently on police bail pending further enquiries.

Inspector Nikki Hopkins, from the Northern Neighbourhood Enforcement Team, said: “This Operation Pandilla has been another success, as we have disrupted criminal activity across force boundaries and made a number of arrests.

“Sharing intelligence with other forces means we can better tackle high-harm offenders, including those involved in drug supply.

“We will continue to look at all opportunities and tactics available to us to disrupt offenders and bring criminals to justice.”