Four people have been arrested after police were called to reports of illegal hare coursing.

Diss Mercury: Norfolk Police officers as part of Operation Galileo ready to go out on a hare coursing operation. Picture: Ian BurtNorfolk Police officers as part of Operation Galileo ready to go out on a hare coursing operation. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant)

A 4x4 vehicle and six dogs were also seized as part of a police operation on Wednesday, October 7 centred on fields close to Harleston.

Hare coursing has been illegal for more than a decade, since the implementation of the Hunting Act 2004.

MORE: Gamekeeper hurt as illegal hare coursing season gets under way in NorfolkOffenders are known to travel to Norfolk from around the country to hunt hares with dogs. Large sums of money are often bet in underground competitions, while farm workers and landowners have been threatened and attacked.

Some 309 incidents were reported across Norfolk last winter.

The latest investigation was carried out under Operation Galileo, a nationwide approach to addressing hare coursing, of which Norfolk is one of the lead forces.