Police targeting drug dealing in south Oxfordshire villages today raided two homes.

Officers forced their way into a house in Meadside, Dorchester-on-Thames, at 3.50pm and seized what is believed to be cannabis during a search of the property and nearby cars.

Half an hour later, police raided a second home two miles away in Colne Drive, Berinsfield.

They found what they suspected to be more cannabis and class A drugs, which were taken away to a laboratory to be analysed.

Police arrested two men in their 20s, one at each of the homes, on suspicion of drugs possession and they were in custody last night being quizzed by officers.

Police were continuing to search the two properties tonight.

Officers at the scene would not comment on the street value of the suspected drugs seized.

The raids are part of Operation Maelstrom, which is a new scheme targeting major crime such as drugs and burglary across rural south Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

Last Friday, police carried out two drugs raids in Benson and Brightwell-cum-Sotwell as part of the operation.

Sgt Graham Pink, who led the raids, said: "We are continuing to tackle the supply and control of drugs and the links between drugs and burglaries.

"We will carry on targeting the supply locally, and we will not tolerate drugs anywhere across south Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

"This is an ongoing disruption process and we will bring offenders to justice."

Drugs sniffer dogs were used to search both houses.

Officers also searched a silver Alfa Romeo 156, a black Honda Prelude and a black Peugeot 306 GTI parked outside the house in Dorchester.

Items were seized from the cars, but Sgt Pink said he would not say what they were because they formed part of a wider investigation.

Pc Liam Busby said: "These two raids are not necessarily linked to each other, but we are targeting drugs and the links with other crimes such as burglary."

Geoff Russell, clerk at Dorchester Parish Council, said: "I am sorry drugs appear to have come to Dorchester."

Anyone with information on drug dealing should contact police on 08458 505505 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.