POLICE have hailed their first raid on a crack house as a taste of things to come.

Speaking after the raid in the Railway Village, Detective Sergeant Gerry Watkins said police would not allow communities to be torn apart by drugs.

"These orders allow us to reclaim communities from the hands of those involved in drugs," said DS Watkins, who led Monday night's raid.

"We hope this raid will be the first of many.

"Drug houses cause untold misery for people living nearby, eating away at their quality of life. We will tackle this problem head on."

The raid is Wiltshire's first as part of the nationwide Operation Crackdown. Officers used the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 to close the Emlyn Square property for 48 hours.

It means anyone other than tenants entering the premises are liable to be arrested.

Police will today apply to magistrates for permission to board up the property for three months. If successful, anyone entering would be liable to up to six months in prison, a £5,000 fine, or both.

If magistrates issue the warrant, metal shutters will be installed to stop people entering.

An official notice would be left on the door and letters sent to local residents outlining what has happened. DS Watkins said intelligence on the Adver-backed drugs hotline had been invaluable in planning the raid.

"It just shows we do act on information received, and anyone with intelligence that could help fight drugs in Swindon should call," he said.

Thirty-three UK police forces are involved in Operation Crackdown, led by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Home Office.

Treatment agencies and local authorities are also taking part.

The aim is to reclaim communities destroyed by drugs.

Since being launched in 2003, the hotline has led to numerous raids in Swindon.

It played a crucial role in smashing two of the town's most notorious drugs rings.

Tamash Lal