The team of six Detective Constables and one Detective Sergeant - supported by two police staff investigators and a digital support officer - have been given the core aim of stopping serious and organised gangs in their tracks.

Covering the east and west of the county, they will mainly target gangs peddling drugs in Suffolk, as well as those committing robberies and burglaries - but will also provide support on domestic abuse, child sex abuse and sexual offence cases.

Their approach will be “cradle to grave” - gathering intelligence on criminal networks and building investigations against them, right through to securing convictions.

MORE: Meet the 7 new police officers recruited to swoop on prolific crime in SuffolkThe roles are funded by an increase in the police and crime commissioner’s element of council this year - and complement the existing SCDT already operating in Ipswich.

Det Ch Supt Eamonn Bridger said: “To get this new team up and running is great news for the people of Suffolk and the constabulary as it provides a further proactive resource to target the highest end criminals that operate in our communities.

“The SCDT has specialist skills and is equipped to pro-actively tackle force-wide and local policing priorities, while dynamically disrupting those that make the most financial gain out or create the greatest harm through serious criminality.

“As always we are keen to respond to the needs of local people to keep our communities safe and the public can take confidence from the proactive approach to tackling criminals that their local police force takes.”

The SCDT as a whole has made 37 arrests since January this year - and has helped conduct four separate investigations, where suspects have received custodial sentences totalling 28 years.

The team has undertaken 46 interviews, downloaded evidence from 135 devices and recovered more than £200,000 in cash.

Significant successes include the jailing of three drug dealers - Rhyone Hinkson, Michael Martin and Mohamed Abdullahl - to a total of 15 and a half years for a “county lines” operation, where dealers from urban areas ply their trade in quieter, more rural counties.

In another case, Nik Easey, of Ipswich, was jailed for eight and half years after being caught with drugs and guns, including possession of cocaine worth £15,000.

A third case saw a man jailed for eight years for robbery of a 79-year-old lady in Ipswich in November 2017.

Suffolk PCC Tim Passmore said he was sure taxpayers would see the team as a “worthwhile investment”.

He added: “The original team based in Ipswich has had some excellent results, so I am very pleased to be able to allocate precept funding to extend this across the county.

“The team’s focus on county lines and drugs activity is crucial for the reputation of the county and the safety of its residents.

“I wish them all well in this valuable work.”