An "industrial scale" benefit fraud has been targeted in a series of police raids in Glasgow.

Officers from Police Scotland have been working with the Department for Work and Pensions and Home Office Immigration Enforcement in a year-long investigation to trace an organised crime gang suspected of defrauding the benefits system of around £4.6m.

In total, 37 properties in Govanhill were raided on Wednesday, with individuals alleged to have carried out fraudulent transactions also being targeted.

Police said 16 people were arrested during the operation, 14 of whom were detained in connection with benefit fraud.

One woman was arrested on warrant and another was arrested after a £200,000 cannabis cultivation was discovered during the searches.

Police also attended a number of addresses intending to speak to residents claiming housing benefit. Several of the premises had clearly been empty for a prolonged period.

The operation ranks as one of the biggest in Police Scotland's history, with almost 100 officers involved.

Assistant chief constable Gillian MacDonald said: "Our action today is the culmination of an almost year-long investigation which has been targeting organised benefit fraud on an almost industrial scale.

"The first phase under way is targeting the organised crime group who have orchestrated the benefit fraud and phase two is targeting those individuals who are helping facilitate the fraud by carrying out the fraudulent transactions.

"We fully expect there will be more arrests as a result of this operation over the coming weeks and months."

Police Scotland said the action is part of an ongoing investigation into a large-scale organised attack on the UK's benefit systems and "associated criminality".

A force spokesman added: "Communities play a huge part in the fight against crime in their local areas.

"Govanhill has strong community links and we work closely with these groups, we listen to what they tell us and we take action to tackle criminality in the area."