Bradford launched its own dedicated Drugs squad today with a vow that dealers would have no hiding place.

Officers from the Bradford district's three police divisions are pulling together in the huge blitz to target drug dealers in a more co-ordinated way.

The team has been set up as part of West Yorkshire Police's biggest campaign against drugs in the city, launched today by Chief Superintendent Graham Sunderland, of Keighley police.

Crackdown in Bradford - A Community Against Drugs is a massive offensive to disrupt drugs markets and the crime linked to them.

Speaking on behalf of the three Bradford police commanders, Chief Supt Sunderland said: "Drug dealers have no boundaries so why should we?

"By pooling our resources this team will be more focused on arresting street dealers across the Bradford and Keighley district.

"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. This initiative is unprecedented in the Bradford district and anyone dealing in drugs will be identified and rigorously prosecuted."

The 20-strong drugs team will be led by Detective Inspector Sheridan Moore. Crackdown has already got off to a good start with eight suspected dealers arrested and more than three kilos of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis recovered.

Crackdown will also work with the district-wide arrest referral scheme in which offenders misusing drugs can be assessed and referred for treatment if they wish.

"Our priority is targeting drug dealers who cause misery in local communities but this arrest referral scheme allows us to protect communities from drug-related, anti-social and criminal behaviour and enables drugs misusers to overcome their addiction," said Chief Supt Sunderland. We recognise we have to work with drug treatment agencies to break the cycle of drug abuse."

Police are already tackling drugs through the Government's Communities Against Drugs fund which has led to 69 Class A dealers being arrested and more than 300 arrests for drugs-related offences, including street crime, since September last year.

And Chief Supt Sunderland said local people had a vital role to play in making the campaign a success. "We need information about drug dealing. You ring us and action will be taken."

He urged people to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Crackdown is being supported by Bradford Safer Communities Partnership and Bradford District Drugs and Alcohol Action Team which includes the police, Bradford Council, the probation service, health and drugs treatment organisations.

"By working in partnership with other agencies we also hope to divert young people away from drugs and street crime and get more people into treatment," said Chief Supt Sunderland.