DETECTIVES have seized drugs with a street value of £350,000 in one of the biggest operations staged by Bury's police force in their continued fight to curb dealing in the area.

Twenty-six people have been arrested and are being questioned as a result of the operation, code-named Venice.

The month-long exercise, which concluded this week, was carried out by officers at the Whitefield-based drugs divisional unit.

Officers said the operation was an intelligence-based initiative lasting 18 months to target dealers who sell heroin, ecstasy, cocaine and crack cocaine on the streets in and around Bury. They staged a number of dawn raids during the four-week crackdown, the last of which were carried out on Wednesday (Nov 15) Detective Sergeant Steve Horton, who co-ordinated the operation, said: "This latest operation follows on from Operation Pyramid where we arrested six people in Radcliffe."

He added: "This is one of the biggest operations we have staged. It involved 60 officers, including those from the tactical aid unit and divisional officers."

Detectives swooped on houses in Eldon Street, Walmersley Road, Kingfisher Drive, Plover Drive, Percy Street, Ivy Road, Whitelegge Street, Myrtle Street North, Vernon Street, Belle Vue Terrace, all in Bury, and Cross Lane in Radcliffe. Houses in Heywood, Rochdale and Shaw were also raided.

DS Horton added: "This operation has been a success and people can rest assured that we are here and will act to arrest dealers in Bury. We rely on our own intelligence and information from the public and would urge anyone with information to contact us so we can act on it."

Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and the caller does not have to give their name.