DRUG crime in Darwen has risen 37 per cent in the last six months despite reports of other offences falling.

But police chiefs today pledged to crack the problem and bring to justice the drug dealers and drug makers.

And they claimed the reason for the rise was because they were rounding up and prosecuting dealers.

The vow comes after a second man was arrested and charged over the discovery last month of a cannabis 'factory' at Hampden Mill and around 600 cannabis plants.

Officers swooped on the former mill in Grimshaw Street and found three rooms full of seedlings and larger plants, along with professional heating and lighting equipment.

Leslie English, of Greater Manchester, was arrested at the scene and later pleaded guilty to the production of cannabis and handling stolen vehicles.

The second man, 38-year-old Chris Rowbottom, of Todmorden, also pleaded guilty to the same offences. They will both return to court for sentencing in December.

Now police have warned those involved in drug crime in Darwen: 'We're out to get you'.

Detective Sergeant Claire Holbrook, of Darwen CID, said: "These are just two of several arrests that we are in the process of making in relation to the large-scale, illegal cannabis factory which we uncovered in Darwen.

"Our intention is that anybody who we believe to be involved in this illegal set-up or any other drug-related crime will be brought to justice."

And she defended the rise in drug crimes and said officers were the "winning the fight" against drugs.

She put the increase down to police being more proactive and making more arrests.

There were 60 drug offences between April and September 2005, compared to 44 between the same period in 2004.