A CRACK DEN has been closed down in Church Street after police carried out a late night raid. The Wood&Vale joined police on the operation which was part of a Safer Neighbourhoods crack down on drugs and anti-social behaviour. Fifteen police officers from

A CRACK DEN has been closed down in Church Street after police carried out a late night raid.

The Wood&Vale joined police on the operation which was part of a Safer Neighbourhoods crack down on drugs and anti-social behaviour.

Fifteen police officers from the Church Street Safer Neighbour-hoods team and special constables stormed the flat last Thursday and removed four people.

Residents had complained of disturbance, which they believed was related to drugs, and people coming and going from the flat at all hours.

Police swooped on the flat in the late night raid and found traces of Class A drugs.

Sergeant Ian Rowing, who led the raid, said: "This address has generated many complaints over the past few weeks and there has been an increase in anti-social behaviour in the area.

"We addressed this by obtaining a search warrant for drugs and once inside we found clear evidence of the use of heroin and crack.

"This has enabled the superintendent to authorise closure of the premises. Hopefully the action we have taken will lead to a more peaceful life for the residents of this block.

"I would particularly like to thank the special constables for helping us out in their spare time."

Nobody was arrested but four people who did not live at the address were kicked out as the property was boarded up.

A decision was made by Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday afternoon to close the crackhouse for three months.

PC Timothy Startup, who issued the warrant, said: "We have implemented a crackhouse closure after local intelligence was received that the premises was being used as a crackhouse.

"Using that information we successfully applied for a warrant which was executed. On doing that we found evidence of paraphernalia of use of class A drugs inside.

"And because of that we implemented a closure of the premises. This has been done to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area and improve quality of life of the local residents."

Heroin and crack are highly addictive Class-A drugs which are usually injected or heated up on tinfoil and smoked.

The maximum penalty for supplying the drugs is life imprisonment and an unlimited fine while the maximum penalty for possession is seven years in prison and an unlimited fine.

susanna.wilkey@hamhigh.co.uk