THE supply of hard drugs in Accrington has been virtually wiped out after 14 people were arrested in East Lancashire's biggest-ever raids.

More than 100 police took part in dawn swoops at 10 suspected drug dealers' houses across Accrington and Oswaldtwistle on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Warrants were executed at Meadow Street, Princess Street, Higher Antley Street, Pendle Street, Craven Street, Charter Street, Hyndburn Street, Water Street and Hyndburn Road in Accrington and Banbury Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, as part of Operation Nimrod.

Search teams using sniffer dogs also targeted the homes of suspected street dealers and major suppliers in Ambleside Close, Blackburn, and Musden Avenue, Helmshore.

At each house police put up a poster saying 'Suspected drug dealer arrested here today' in the window.

A quantity of drugs believed to be heroin, thousands of pounds of cash, a Mercedes car and three other vehicles were seized by police.

Members of the community including councillors were invited on the raids which were the result of months of undercover investigations.

Inspector Terry Woods, the head of Accrington Police, said: "We have had a number of undercover officers living in Accrington for a number of months, buying drugs from suppliers and gathering evidence. The hierarchy of dealers has been targeted and we hope we have more or less halted drug use in Accrington."

The operation was in response to residents' concerns over increased drug activity in their neighbourhoods, making them feel unsafe in their homes.

Inspector Woods added: "A lot of information and feedback from the community has been used in this operation. These arrests are significant as it is the street dealers who cause the main problems for residents - those who live in their street or hang around telephone boxes. This operation has targeted local addresses and also hit higher-level dealers.

"The message to those people who persist in dealing drugs in our town is we know who you are, we will seek you out and we will arrest you.

"These raids are just the beginning of making Accrington a safer place. We need the community to continue to support us. Together we can make a safer, more harmonious town."

The raids, which sent shock waves through the drug-dealing community, are expected to result in a shortage of drugs available to users and outreach workers will be on hand at the Maundy Relief premises on Abbey Street, Accrington, between 12 noon and 4pm today to help those desperate for a fix.

County Councillor Jean Battle, who attended the 7am raids, said: "The benefits to the community from these raids will be great. Residents are always saying that there are people dealing drugs and now these people have finally been caught."