Police in Bangor city centre have made 70 arrests since a major crackdown on serious and organised crime began in March.

North Wales Police says over £200,000 worth of drugs and cash has also been taken off the streets as part of the Renew Bangor operation.

Figures published on Friday revealed reports of knife crime had fallen by 50% since March and anti-social behaviour incidents were down by 7.8%

The number of people charged or given out of court disposals has gone up - with nearly 43% more people being dealt with for carrying a knife.

13 operations have been carried out over the last four months, led by a dedicated team of six police officers and a sergeant.

They began stepping up patrols in in the High Street, Hirael and Maesgeirchen areas of the city in March.

In all, £160,000 worth of class A and B drugs were seized in numerous raids and patrols, along with over £60,000 worth of cash. A substantial haul of stolen goods has also been recovered.

North Wales Police says it's beginning to plan the next phase of their 'Clear Hold Build' operation - a three-phase initative - by working with key partners.

Superintendent Arwel Hughes said: "I am extremely pleased to see the positive impact that the multi-agency approach is having in the city centre and beyond."

"The team have worked tirelessly to tackle the issues that cause the most concern in the community as part of the ‘clear’ phase of the project."

"We will continue to work closely with partners to continue to make Bangor a hostile place for criminals to operate and to improve the city centre for community members."

23 people remain under investigation for drugs supply offences while 30 people were arrested for driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

Anyone with information about drugs or criminal activity in Bangor city centre should contact North Wales Police on 101 or visit their website or the local police station in-person.