A massive initiative to drive drug dealers from Keighley's streets was launched yesterday.

A special 20-strong police unit has been set up as part of the operation -- Crack Down -- which will target the three Bradford-district divisions, including Keighley.

And this week Chief Supt Graham Sunderland, Keighley's police commander, appealed to the public to do its bit to help stamp out dealing in the town.

He said: "We now have a dedicated unit which will be tackling this problem -- the message is that Keighley is not a safe place for the drug dealer.

"We are not looking to prosecute victims of drug abuse, but we will come down extremely hard on those who have put them in that position.

"Street drug dealing is not something which any part of the community has a monopoly on. Young boys involved in dealing on the streets are doing it through greed, and they can do it because there is a market.

"They operate in a seedy, twilight style of underworld. We have intelligence in place and know where they are. They may attempt to go further underground - but we will follow them.

"They have two options. They'll either end up in a box or in jail. We would prefer it if they were in jail where they can be given help.

"We need the help of the community to identify those responsible.

"We are appealing to people to contact us with whatever information they can about where and when dealing is taking place. Calls will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

"The unit will be following up intelligence to identify suspects and we will pursue them. If we drive them underground, we will go with them.

"By the end of the year we aim to arrest at least 200 dealers and divert drug users into appropriate treatment.

"We will have no geographical boundaries, and street dealers have every right to be worried."

Yesterday afternoon detectives raided two addresses in Keighley. A man was arrested at a house in West Bank Close, Braithwaite.

Police took away a number of items for forensic examination.

At another house in Salisbury Road, a woman was held after a substantial amount of heroin was discovered. Police said later she was being quizzed in connection with supplying heroin.

The initiative -- which is backed by several agencies -- is being financed by the Government's Community Against Drugs Fund.

A special hotline is to be set up for the public to give information, but in the meantime people are asked to phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.