DAWN drugs raids continued throughout Morecambe yesterday (Wednesday) netting another 18 arrests during "Operation Herring."

The total number of arrests this week was more than 40 after the first raids on Tuesday at addresses mainly in the West End.

The raids were the result of months of undercover work by Morecambe police and 120 officers from across Lancashire were involved in the operation.

Police recovered quantities of heroin, amphetamine and ecstasy as well as stolen property. Some 16 people appeared before magistrates yesterday.

Divisional Commander of Lancashire Police Northern Division, Chf Supt John Thompson said the police had invested a lot of money, time and officers to the operation. He also said that the raids were good news for the West End taken together with the extra funding granted to the force to reduce burglaries in the area and a high profile policing initiative.

He added: "The majority of people in these neighbourhoods are decent people and they tell us time and time again that they do not want to have to live with a disruptive criminal element in their midst."

"We have spent months building up a picture of activity involving particular people. The decision was taken that it was time to move in and make arrests so that we could interview suspects about the situation.

"It has been vitally important to us not to compromise all the work that has already been done, so Tuesday's operation had to be planned with integrity but in secret, with even many of our most trusted staff and colleagues unaware of it until they had to know."

Most of the raids and arrests were in the West End but other addresses across the Morecambe area were also targeted. Supt Colin Maloney of Lancashire Police's major crime unit revealed the operation followed an appraisal of the worst crime spots in the county some time ago. He added that the operation was part of a force wide initiative to drive down serious crime.

The people arrested who have not already appeared at a magistrates are now being questioned at various police stations in Lancashire.

see Citizen Smith

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