A MAN was arrested on suspicion of drugs offences after a warrant was executed on a boat on Canvey.

Police executed a drug warrant at a boat at Small Gains Marina in the early hours of Friday morning.

Officers were supported by a force drone which allowed them to see a live stream of the raid taking place.

A 59-year-old man from Canvey was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and is currently in custody.

Officers praised the use of a drone as a prime example of how the force is developing in its effort to tackle modern day crimes.

Officers from the Operational Support Unit and Marine Unit worked in tandem to execute the warrant.

Police refused to tell the Echo about what drugs were found on the boat and the quantity.

Canvey Island Independent Party Councillor, David Blackwell, said: “Police face a lot of criticism, but work like this is a huge success.

“And goes to show that a lot of the work they do is underground and covert, and in preparation for raids like this.

“We have had a number of drug raids on Canvey recently and it does show we have a problem.

“This shows police are effectively acting on it.

“Something like this would have almost definitely come from a tip off from the public, and the public must continue to report any sniff of crime they get.

“You may not see action immediately, but police will be acting in the background.”

Insp Tony Adams, from the Operational Support Group, said: “As the commander of this operation, being able to have live stream footage of the execution of the warrant was extremely valuable and just goes to evidence the capabilities we are developing as a force in our effort to tackle crime in the 21st century.

“The collaborative work between OSG, the marine unit, and the drone unit here shows that we are committed to keeping all communities safe whether they be on land or water.

“Our drone has thermal image capability meaning we can use it in the dark giving us an extra tool when it comes to gathering evidence. We are also the only force in the country currently accredited to teach UAV pilots in the UK.”