Three men have been charged with drug offences, following an operation to crack down on the use and supply of class-A drugs in Buckingham.

Leslie Mayo, 25, of Park Road, Banbury, was arrested on November 3 2009, on suspicion of drug offences. He was charged on February 23 with two counts of supplying a class-A controlled drug, cocaine; possession/control of an article for use in fraud; supplying a class-A controlled drug, ecstasy; possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of a class-A controlled drug, cocaine.

Timothy Thornton, 43, of Meadway, Buckingham, was arrested on October 21, 2009, on suspicion of drug offences. He was charged on February 23 with supplying a controlled class-A drug (cocaine) and possession of a controlled class-A drug (cocaine).

Daniel Bidwell, 25, of Pightle Crescent, Buckingham, was arrested on October 22, 2009, on suspicion of drug offences. He was charged on February 23 with two counts of supplying a class-A controlled drug, cocaine.

All three men have been released on bail until they are due to appear at Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.

The charges were part of Operation Shadow, which was carried out by a number of departments in Thames Valley Police, including the Buckingham neighbourhood teams, CID and intelligence departments.

In total 14 warrants were carried out under the Missue of Drugs Act, between October and December 2009.

Illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia and cash were recovered from six properties and nine people were arrested, including the three men mentioned.

Excluding the three men, six people were arrested on suspicion of possession of class B, cannabis; five were later released with a caution and one woman, Julie Mills, 44, of Castle Court, Buckingham was charged and put before Aylesbury Magistrates’ court.

A 21-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class-A drugs and was later released without charge.