A BASILDON councillor has praised police in the wake of a number of drugs raids in the town this week.

Basildon Nub News reported on the raids which saw four people arrested.

"It's a massive amount of drugs to get off the streets and it's always a good thing for the town when police seize drugs," said independent councillor Kerry Smith.

"But the police can always do more, to protect the town," he continued. "It's a black market that's pulling in so many young people and every time they do these raids it's effectively saving more young people from a life of crime in county lines gangs.

"County line gangs are bad in Basildon, but they are prevalent everywhere. These raids will make a dent on the drug trade here, and I always welcome these police actions, but it's only a dent and just one step to getting it all off the streets."