DRUG dealers have been warned, by East Lancashire’s top police officer, to look over their shoulder.

Chief Supt Damian Darcey said tackling drug crime is one of his priorities even though the latest figures show it is falling across the county. But having revealed that he expects to lose staff in the next five years due to impending budget cuts, Mr Darcy said targeting drug dealers would continue be high on his agenda.

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He said: “Drugs misuse is an issue in every town across Lancashire. It is one of our priorities.

“We have got teams in place, covert teams who will target these groups of people. We have had lots of success and will continue to have lots of success. This year we did an operation in Darwen where we took out six to eight people who were in charge of the drugs distribution in the town.

“We have neighbourhood policing team officers who will respond to information from the public in terms of cannabis farms and low-level dealing. But we are only as good as the information we get and a lot of that should come from the public.

“We are looking to target those people at the top of the tree who are making lots of money and who are causing disruption and misery in the communities. There are lots of victims who are using drugs and it is about working with them and our partner agencies to give them the help they need.”

The latest figures show that over the last 12 months there have been 1,084 drug-related crimes across Lancashire.

Mr Darcy, who has 900 officers and staff under his command, said he expects the force to have to cut £43 million from its east, south and west divisions by 2021 to meet government spending cuts. That will leave the budget at £200 million.

Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire’s police and crime commissioner, said: “Crime continues to fall and that needs to be recognised.”