DRUG dealers arrested during a series of dawn raids have received nearly 70 years in prison, police have revealed.

Thirty-four suspected dealers of heroin and crack cocaine were arrested during the two-day operation codenamed Hurricane last September, when 36 addresses were entered and searched in Blackburn, Accrington and Blackpool.

More than £23,000 worth of property was recovered, including £10,000 of cash, two vehicles, 71 mobile phones and drugs, including crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis, with a street value of £5,000.

The raids followed months of evidence gathering on alleged drug dealing in Blackburn and Darwen and undercover operations by police officers posing as dealers.

Two of the men heading the operation were DC Eddie Towler and DS Jon Bayly of Blackburn Police's Intelligence Unit.

DS Bayly said the key to Hurricane's success was the careful planning and approach work.

He added: "We knew there was a drug problem in the area but we also knew that the efforts we were making were not having the desired effect and that a different approach was needed. This was not a fishing expedition. We knew exactly who we were after and that when they were arrested we would already have all the evidence we needed to prosecute them."

That meant months of planning and intelligence gathering from undercover officers specially trained to gain the trust of the dealers.

DS Bayly said: "The people we were using to gather the evidence had to be believable. They had to look like addicts, dress like addicts and smell like addicts."

The undercover officers would call the suspected dealer on a mobile number before arranging a meeting point, usually with the dealer arriving in a car.

Despite the risks officers were monitored the whole time by police with video cameras and audio tapes which recorded the drug deals and the conversations as evidence.

DC Eddie Towler said: "Dealers have got used to not carrying large amounts of drugs on them or keeping them in one place, that's why you rarely hear about large seizures of drugs any more. And that's why we needed to be so careful about getting enough evidence before arresting these people."

Secrecy was vital; just a key core of officers were in on the plans. Even on the first day of the raids, when more than 400 officers gathered at Ewood Park, Blackburn, officers were only told the basics.

The operation was a part of the BRAD (Blackburn and Darwen Residents Against Drugs) initiative, launched in July last year. BRAD aims to encourage the community to pass on information about suspected drug suppliers, using the Crimestoppers confidential phone line. Detective Chief Inspector Steve Hartley was in overall charge of Operation Hurricane.

He said: "We are extremely pleased with the sentences given to these drugs dealers.

"The line has been drawn - the police, community and the courts will not tolerate drug dealing and offenders will be dealt with severely."

Information about drug dealing can be passed confidentially to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Calls are free and you may receive a reward.

Named and shamed - the offenders

THOSE arrested, charged and sentenced as part of Operation Hurricane included:

Imtiaz Desai, 19, Dunsop Street, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 2 years 6 months; Irfan Desai, 21, Dunsop Street, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 3 years ; Safraz Dudhwala, 23, Whalley Range, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 2 years 6 months; Anthony Khan, 20, Blackpool, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 3 years; Mohammed Afzal, 22, Woodfold Place, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 3 years, 3 months.

Mohammed Nasser Nassib, 22, Snow Street, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 3 years 6 months; Nasser Dungriwala, 20, London Road, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine --120 hours' community service order; Andrew Bleasdale, 32, Blackpool, multiple charges of supplying heroin and crack cocaine, 4 years imprisonment; Nadeem Alyas, 25, Higher Antley Street, Accrington, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 1 year 6 months; Sajid Mohammed, 21, London Road, Blackburn, supplying heroin -- 120 hours' community service order;

Abdul Malik, 26, of HMP Preston, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 4 years 9 months; Peter Bailey, 42, Ribblesdale Avenue, Accrington, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 2 years 6 months; Rehmat Sheikh, 20, Whalley Road, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 2 years; George Hannan, 29, Hythe Close, Blackburn, supplying class A drugs -- 3 years 4 months; Jameil Yasin, 23, St Clements Close, Blackburn, supplying class A drugs -- 2 years; Faisal Hussain, 17, Calder Street, Blackburn, supplying class A drugs -- 1 year; Stephen Bradley, 32, Romney Walk, Blackburn, supplying class A drugs -- 3 years.

Maqshud Mohammed, 27, Barngill Close, Blackburn, supplying class A drugs -- 3 years; Imran Khan, 25, Pringle Street, Blackburn, concerned in the supply class A drugs -- 3 years; Aftab Ahmed, 21, Queens Park Road, Blackburn, supplying crack cocaine -- 3 years; Seth Ryden, 22, St Mary's Wharf, Blackburn, supplying crack cocaine -- 3 years; George Chatwood, 39, Melville Drive, Blackburn, supplying heroin -- 3 years; Gillian Bentley, 25, Melville Drive, Blackburn, supplying heroin -- 3 years; Stephen Thurston, 32, Whitendale Crescent, Blackburn, supplying heroin -- 3 years; Yasser Akram, 20, Brantfell Road, Blackburn, supplying heroin and crack cocaine -- 3 years and 3 months.