FORTY police officers swarmed a Blackburn pub last night at the start of a high-profile month-long crackdown on drug crime.

Friday night drinkers sat shocked with their hands on their heads as officers descended on the Brownhill Arms, Whalley New Road.

The pub was closed for the rest of the night and its licence is now set to be reviewed.

It is the first pub in Blackburn to have been closed following a drugs raid and senior police chiefs promised it was the start of many more over the next four weeks.

A convoy of nine vehicles roared up to the premises as well-drilled teams burst in through the front and side doors of the pub.

Officers shouted, “Police, nobody move” as they looked for several targets and evidence of drug activity.

Stunned punters loitering close to the front door looked visibly shaken as dozens of police surged past, smashing an internal door on their way.

Traffic was also brought to a standstill as riot vans blocked off the busy junction and bystanders gathered to watch the action unfold.

Two men were eventually led away under arrest and detectives recovered an unknown quantity of suspected Class A drugs.

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Cooke, officer in charge of special operations for Lancashire Constabulary, pledged to put those suspected of supplying drugs in pubs and clubs ‘on the back foot’.

He said: “This raid has been done early evening on a Friday. Those engaged in the supply of drugs would not have expected it.

“There is no safe place in Lancashire to sell drugs. The reason we are targeting pubs and clubs is because that is what the community is telling us. It’s not something that’s been done for a long time.

“There’s no safe havens for drug crime, Lancashire Constabulary is not a soft touch.

“Blackburn is no worse than other place. It’s a good place to live with very strong communities and those communities help us with regards to tackling drug supply.”

ACC Cooke added: “We will not tolerate drugs being sold and used in licensed premises in Lancashire and where we have information that this is happening you should expect us to take robust action.

“People tell us time and time again that they do not want people who deal drugs to live and operate amongst them. We have asked the public in the past to work with us by giving information and tonight’s activity is a focused response to a community problem.”

Chief Insp Terry Woods, who had earlier briefed officers using weeks of intelligence, described the operation, codenamed ‘Converge’ as “textbook”.

He said those inside the Brownhill Arms were ‘shocked’, but urged the Blackburn public to continue reporting drug crime.

Chief Insp Woods said: “Dealing drugs overtly will not happen while I’m in charge. When we get information we take it seriously. There’s no way I will stand for this activity in Blackburn.”

One 60-year-old innocent bystander, who was caught up in the raid, said: “It was like something from a TV show.

“I was just stood with a pint talking to my mate about work when I heard, ‘Police, police, police. Nobody move’.

“I’m glad to see it happening if it gets drugs off our streets.”