A MAJOR police drugs crackdown that led to more than 100 arrests has won an award.

Strathclyde Police's Operation Triplicate resulted in more than 100 dealers being arrested in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde over six months in 2006.

Now it has won an Excellence Award from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

The awards ceremony was the first of its kind and took place at the Scottish Prosecution College in the Gorbals, Glasgow.

The police initiative was one of the biggest operations of its kind in Scottish history.

Officers said it was developed following concerns about people involved in the supply of Class A drugs.

Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini and Solicitor General Frank Mulholland praised the operation, which involved keeping close ties with local procurators-fiscal.

Following the operation, 52 people were jailed, with the average sentence being three years.

More than £125,000 of assets were seized under the Proceeds of Crime legislation.