LICENSEES in East Lancashire have welcomed police plans to carry out raids on pubs in a bid to eradicate drug dealing.

The execution of warrants on licensed premises came as an extension of a force-wide initiative to reduce street crimes, including drug trafficking.

Five raids have been carried out on Accrington town centre pubs and two in Blackburn.

Fifteen people were arrested, suspected of possessing and supplying class A and B drugs. The substances seized were sent away for forensic examination.

Derek Haworth, chairman of the Blackburn and Hyndburn Licensed Victuallers' Association, and landlord of the Fox and Hounds, Ewood, said: "As far as I am concerned this is a good thing.

"Licensees might not be aware that people are using their premises to deal drugs so if the police do have this information, it can only be good.

"Police are also aware of which pubs have drug-related backgrounds and it is about time they did start acting on it as there is too much of it around.

"As far as I am concerned they cannot do enough to clamp down on drug trafficking as it is responsible for most other crimes so people can feed their habit.

"In the majority of cases licensees are unaware that their premises are being used for this purpose but it results in people they don't really want frequenting the pub and the good customers leaving."

Police have refused to name the pubs they have already raided as part of the Safer Streets in Lancashire initiative to crack down on class A drugs trafficking offences.

Inspector Phil Cottam, of Accrington police, said: "We have very good relations with the licensees in the area and are seeking to work with them and support them in this as well as the pub watch scheme."

"We know that drug trafficking does happen and work to collate information on that. Wherever we have enough information we will take action.

"Drug dealers will not be tolerated and will have no place to hide."

Vicki Pennington, manager of Regency Bar, Church Street, said: "The existing pub watch scheme is great and a lot of troublemakers have been moved out of the town through that.

"I don't think there is a drug problem in the town centre as such because the door security staff are quite vigilant -- but the outer town ones might have.

"We have not had a problem here but this scheme will help to deter it which is good and something we would welcome."

Another town centre licensee who asked not to be named said: "It is a good thing trying to clamp down on it but it has to be done in a responsible kind of way and in co-operation with the licensees."

People can give information about any crime, confidentially and anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

Rewards are sometimes offered in return for such information.