Ref. 31144-28A squalid alleged drugs den operating yards from Swindon's police station and law courts has been shut down after an undercover police raid.

One person was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class A drug and seven others were searched and taken in for questioning as officers swooped on a corner of the Wyvern car park, known as 'the cage', underneath the town's theatre.

Tip-offs from the Evening Advertiser-backed Swindon Drugs hotline helped officers in a covert operation codename Domain that culminated yesterday lunchtime.

Swindon Council, which owns the area, sent out workmen to board up the den after police had searched inside.

Throughout the morning a team of 12 officers, stationed at various points around the cage, kept watch with advanced surveillance technology.

The Adver was invited to witness the morning's events.

The cage, which backs on to Princes Street, could clearly be seen from the officers' vantage point nearby.

Drivers, pedestrians and shoppers came and went, oblivious to the events about to unfurl.

Police said that squatters had moved in to the cage, previously used as a rubbish store, a few months ago.

Torn blankets were crudely fixed across the front of the wire mesh cage while a padlock had been added to the gate.

At around 9.30am a man went into the cage, locking the padlock and pulling the blanket across behind him. Shortly afterwards two men approached the wire gate but left a few seconds later.

A while later a man carrying a bag arrived on a bike. He was let in and the blanket was again quickly pulled into place.

At around 12.15pm a man arrived on a motorbike and approached the cage. He appeared to put something in his mouth and then passed a black package through a hole in the gate.

A few minutes later a team of plain clothes police officers sprinted up to the cage and led away one occupant.

PC Paul Best was one of the officers responsible for sifting through the putrid mess.

He said: "This is one of the bad ones but it's not a shock. There's so many of these places around town."

Drug paraphernalia and empty wine bottles lay strewn among layers of rotting food, dirty cardboard boxes and stinking blankets. The rancid odour emanating from inside indicated the cage had doubled as a urinal.

Nigel Lord, of the drugs intelligence squad, said that the operation had not uncovered enough evidence to proceed with a prosecution.

He said: "We didn't find any drugs but we are pleased to have disrupted their current activities and the council has reclaimed the area.

"There were a lot of confused addicts wandering around afterwards when the boards went up.

"We can't stop people in the street. If they suspect police are about they can hide drugs internally or swallow the wraps of drugs. They will then throw it up later.

"Last year one guy swallowed so much he became ill and was taken to hospital. He had to admit what he had taken and got arrested.

"Sometimes drug addicts are so unreliable because of their addiction that they change their habits very quickly. They might be using a place for several days and then just suddenly not turn up.

"It makes it difficult for us because we need surveillance authority before we can set up an operation like this."

Det Sgt Gerry Watkins praised the Swindon Drugs Hotline, set up by the Evening Advertiser in June last year.

He said: "People are becoming more aware of it now and trust it the hotline."

A man was released yesterday evening pending further inquiries.

Alex Emery