NEIGHBOURS have hit out at ‘blatantly overt’ drug dealing on streets in Blackburn.

Suppliers arrive in cars and on bicycles, with clients sometimes allegedly ‘accompanied by children’, to regularly meet up on Warwick Road, Hall Street and Bankside, to complete illegal transactions, often in broad daylight, residents say.

This issue ‘is nothing new’ according to one upset resident, with incidents apparently going back more than three years.

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It’s been going on for a long time now, but sometimes it slows down a bit.

“This last couple of months, though, it has got very, very bad.

“Obviously, we can’t send our children out to play anymore. The dealers are always using very bad language and it is not safe for them to be out on the street as this happens at all times of the day.

“It isn’t just the dealers, it’s the drug users too. It is very difficult for us. Every single day something bad is happening on this street.

“If you try to stop them, they become very aggressive and kick off. It’s very bad.”

The resident explained that the police had been informed and that whilst they had been ‘helpful to a point’, the ‘blatant’ and ‘disconcerting’ activity has not been stopped.

The Lancashire Telegraph contacted Lancashire Police who said they have been made aware of ‘a report of drug dealing on Hall Street’ and ‘reports of a suspicious vehicle’, adding that ‘a neighbourhood policing team are now making enquiries’.

In August 2019, the Lancashire Telegraph reported ‘around the clock drug dealing’ in exactly the same area - with an inspector vowing to ‘use robust tactics’ to prevent the dealing from taking place.

Inspector Martyn Holt said at the time: “We treat drug dealing very seriously and all incidents are looked at. This sort of behaviour isn’t acceptable and has a negative impact on our communities. We welcome all information provided to us from the public, we use the information to build a picture of activity within our area and use robust tactics to target those suspected of dealing drugs.

“If you are concerned about contacting us consider Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is anonymous.”