A hi-tech national DNA database today scored its first arrest success in Lancashire as police raided dozens of homes in a major crackdown on burglars and drug dealers.

Officers using the genetic fingerprinting system detained a 16-year-old youth as part of Operation Castle II. It involved raids on dozens of homes across Lancashire.

The youth was arrested after a blood sample taken from the scene of a burglary of a Blackburn church was compared with a sample held on the national database.

He was detained after officers called at an address in the Whitebirk area of Blackburn at 6.45am.

More than 60 officers in Blackburn and Darwen began the local part of the operation with a briefing at 6am today.

By 7.30am the cells in Blackburn and Darwen police stations were full and 19 people have been arrested for a variety of offences. A large quantity of property was recovered including antiques, electrical equipment, model replica cars, credit cards and a stuffed fox.

Heroin and cannabis was also recovered.

Detective Inspector Neil Smith said: "The operation appears to have been very successful so far.

"We have 15 people in the cells at Blackburn and four at Darwen and a large amount of property has been recovered. "These people will be interviewed during the course of today and we will be looking to find more cell space in case more people are arrested during the course of the day."

In Accrington officers swooped on about a dozen houses.

Nine people were arrested.

Some property was recovered and a small amount of drugs.

Detective Inspector Jim Oldcorn, head of Accrington CID, said: "We did not find an Aladdin's cave but we have recovered some property and a small amount of drugs."

Officers with search warrants had to force an entry at some of the houses.

Suspected stolen property seized by police included electrical and computer equipment.

Around 30 detectives and uniformed officers were involved in the Accrington blitz.

In Burnley police swooped at ten houses and made seven arrests and in Rossendale officers made 20 arrests. There were also 16 arrests in the Pendle area.

Operation Castle II is due to continue over the coming days.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.