Properties in Wisbech and Downham Market were raided by police earlier today (Thursday) as part of a national investigation into money laundering and drug trafficking.

Several kilos of a substance believed to be heroin and more than �50,000 in cash was seized from addresses in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire as 11 warrants were executed by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU).

Norfolk and Cambridgeshire police officers assisted in the operation, which targeted locations including Silt Road in Nordelph, Downham Market, Begdale Road at Elm, near Wisbech, and a business premises in Wisbech.

Five men and three women were arrested as a result of the warrants in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, and all eight were taken to King's Lynn police station for questioning.

Det Insp Liz Fernandes, who is leading Operation Leap, said: 'This has been an excellent example of how coordinated activity across several police forces can make a real difference to local communities.'

ERSOU was set up in 2010 to tackle organised crime across the six police forces in the Eastern Region. The unit is made up of resources from across Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Essex.

Det Supt Mark Lay, from ERSOU, said: 'This is an excellent result for ERSOU which is the culmination of working with our colleagues from police forces across the country. It maintains our focus on tackling organised crime groups that operate across force and regional boundaries.'