POLICE have declared war on drug dealers in Bournemouth after arresting 20 people suspected of fuelling the town's heroin and crack cocaine industry.

Officers from Operation Dismantle carried out raids on 14 addresses in Bournemouth and Boscome following eight months of undercover work and surveillance involving several Dorset police departments.

Those arrested in the raids this week were aged in their 20s to early 30s.

A quantity of substances - believed to be Class A drugs - were seized and are being sent away for analysis.

Operation Dismantle is aimed at tackling drug dealing and drug related crime in the county, and the intensive three-day operation had been in the planning since the beginning of the year.

DCI Mark Cooper, head of Operation Dismantle, said : "These latest drugs raids send out a very strong message that drug possesion , drug dealing and drug-related crime will not be tolerated.

"I would like to reassure the public that Dorset Police will continue to take a robust, intelligence-led approach and stamp down heavily on the menace of drugs."

Mark McCann of Crabtree Close, Boscombe, saw one of the raids in Sea Road and said it was like something out of a film.

He said: "I was sat there and two people carriers pulled up and three cars. The police shouted 'don't move' and 'on the floor now'.

"One minute these people were dressed like tourists and suddenly they pulled out guns. There were about eight policemen with guns."

Yesterday a number of people appeared in Bournemouth Magistrates' Court charged with offences related to the supply of crack cocaine and heroin.

Heroin addict Derek Miles, 25, of Sea Road, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying heroin to undercover police officers in April this year, and asked for two similar charges to be taken into consideration.

Andrew Dresh, 32, from Branksome Hill Road, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to four charges of supplying crack cocaine and heroin to officers during March and April.

And Glenn Percival, 29, who gave his address as the YMCA in Bourne-mouth, also pleaded guilty to three charges of supplying heroin and crack cocaine in March and May.

All three men are now due to come up before Bournemouth Crown Court next month for sentencing.

A further six men appeared at the magistrates court yesterday to answer charges of supplying heroin and crack cocaine but did not enter a plea.

They were all remanded into custody.

First published: August 19