DRUG-BUSTING police officers believe they have chalked up a major victory by mounting their biggest-ever operation in the Basingstoke area.

Before dawn broke on Tuesday, drugs crime suspects had a rude awakening as officers with battering rams smashed down doors around the town in an operation to target dealers.

Just after 6.30am, police squads hit addresses in Oakridge, South Ham, Riverdene, King's Furlong and Basingstoke town centre in a carefully co-ordinated operation.

Fifteen people - 11 men and four women - were arrested and a quantity of suspected heroin and crack cocaine was seized.

Detective Inspector Jerry Brierley, who spearheaded the raids codenamed "Operation Dixon", told The Gazette: "It was an absolute success. It was the biggest drug-bust we have ever done. And we got everyone we were after.

"There were 90 officers involved and we had been carrying out intensive investigations and planning it for the past seven months.

"In addition to the Basingstoke arrests, we also arrested two men in prison, one man in Bristol and another in London at the same time, all of whom we believe have been involved in dealing drugs in Basingstoke."

Det Insp Brierley said that the drug-busting operation was started last summer after police received information from the public that crack cocaine and heroin were being freely dealt in the town.

The covert investigation commenced under the joint sponsorship of Basingstoke's Drug Action Team and the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

"We are very concerned about the growth of the use of crack cocaine in the Basingstoke area," said Det Insp Brierley.

"We have a lot of people giving us information who are concerned about drugs being available in the town."

He added: "I hope this operation sends out a clear message to the public in Basingstoke.

"It demonstrates that not only are we very concerned about the problem of Class A drugs in the area - protecting the public is the primary concern for us - but it is also a warning to those who deal in these drugs.

"We are warning anyone involved in these drugs to stop dealing or get out of town. The message is that the supply of drugs will not be tolerated in Basingstoke.

"This is not the end of our investigation - it's more like the beginning. Now that we have started we will continue.

"We are very concerned that there are drug addicts in Basingstoke who are the victims of drug dealers. We are thinking of their welfare by trying to get rid of this menace.

"Last year 47,000 out of 71,000 prisoners admitted to prisons in the UK were addicted to heroin or cocaine.

"What we are doing is acknowledging that a lot of crime in our area is linked to drugs. Acquisitive crime, like burglary and theft, is linked to drugs. The majority of drug addicts will commit crimes to feed their habit. We hope that one result of this week's operation will be a reduction in this type of crime in the area.

"If they can't buy drugs any more then hopefully users will go in for rehabilitation - that is the long-term hope we have. It is not just a fight against drugs in Basingstoke. It is a fight against crime in Basingstoke."

* Fifteen people have been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine and were due to appear at Basingstoke magistrates court yesterday.