THE fact that an international drugs gang planned to flood East Lancashire with tens of thousands of ecstasy tablets should send alarm bells through our community.

Detectives who spent 18 months bringing Paul Patrick Hendra, 35, to justice today heralded his conviction -- and the 10-year, nine-month sentence handed out.

But it shows that an area with well-documented problems with the likes of heroin is also a prime target for the evil peddlars of the recreational drugs more associated with major cities and resorts.

Hendra, who had links to notorious East Lancashire drugs gang The Firm, pleaded guilty to taking part in a plot to import 100,000 of ecstasy tablets, worth £1million.

Police said large amounts of the drugs would have probably ended up on the streets of Lancashire and Yorkshire,The Firm's main territory.

The National Crime Squad believes Hendra's conviction should serve as a strong message to those involved in this area of criminality.

It has said it will continue to target those criminals who operate within a national and international arena.

But does it have the resources to keep the tide of drugs at bay. And how many hauls similar to the 100,000 ecstasy tablets Hendra tried to smuggle in have escaped detection?