Lancashire Police have arrested seven people as part of its investigation into the theft of prescription drugs from two pharmacies in the area totalling £350,000.

Five men and two women aged between 21 and 35 remain in custody as police look into the reported thefts at the pharmacies in Pendle and Rossen. Lancashire Police said six of the seven are pharmacy employees.

The arrests came after its officers made raids in Nelson, Barnoldswick and Blackburn yesterday morning (November 25) and seized mobile phones, a quantity of Class B and Class C drugs, cash and designer items.

Arrests were made on suspicion of theft and conspiracy to supply Class B and C drugs and money laundering.

“I welcome these arrests which are the result of the tenacity of the investigation team and mark a significant point in what remains a complex investigation,” said DS Josh Boswell of Burnley CID.