POLICE carried out a series of dawn raids yesterday (Tuesday) as part of a huge crackdown on suspected drug dealing in Macclesfield.

Fifteen people were arrested during the dramatic raids – dubbed "Operation Design" – when groups of police in body armour executed warrants for 13 properties in the town.

About 150 officers were involved in the massive operation aimed at preventing the supply and misuse of Class A drugs, following a covert five-month investigation throughout the borough.

After a briefing at a secret location, the squad separated into teams led by specially-trained officers – including those armed with battering rams and sniffer dogs – to be deployed to addresses in the town centre, as well as locations on the Weston, Moss and Upton Priory estates.

Suspected drug dealers and users were given a surprise wake-up call at 6am as police smashed their way into properties to make arrests and search for illegal substances.

Following the swoop Detective Superintendent Geraint Jones, of Cheshire Constabulary, said: "The action this morning follows months of careful and determined investigation.

"It is part of our ongoing crackdown on drug dealing and drug abuse.

"Drug dealing obviously has disastrous effects on the lives of addicts, but also generates other forms of crime and creates fear in any community where it is taking place.

"It is an issue which we take seriously and devote all the resources we can to catching dealers and disrupting their activities."

As we went to press, 13 men and two women were being held at the East Cheshire custody centre, in Middlewich, while further searches and forensic tests were carried out on some substances recovered from the properties.

Inspector Gareth Woods, head of Macclesfield Neighbourhood Policing Unit, said: "There will be people in Macclesfield who will have a nice quiet night tonight, because there won’t be someone across the road playing merry hell.

"This operation will detect a lot of crime, but it will also reduce it; it is a win-win situation. We have 15 people in custody, I am chuffed to bits with that result."

Cheshire Constabulary also carried out simultaneous raids yesterday morning in Merseyside, where two arrests were made.

Following the raids, Police Constables and PCSOs patrolled affected areas, thanking residents for their support and distributing leaflets outlining information on reporting drug crimes.

Insp Woods added: "This activity is the result of information that has been passed to us by the local community over the past 12 months and beyond.

"Those local residents who have assisted us in this way should be very proud of the part that they have played in this operation."

n Anyone wishing to report drug-related crime can do so by contacting Macclesfield Neighbourhood Policing Unit on 01845 4586371, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.