BURY is to get £650,000 to break up drugs gangs and tackle drug-related crime over the next three years.

The crimefighting cash boost from the Government comes in the wake of new figures showing that Manchester is the hard drugs capital of the North West.

The first instalment of £216,500 has gone to Bury's Crime and Disorder Partnership for 2001/02, with a promise it will receive the same amount if not more the following two years.

The award is part of a three-year Communities against Drugs Initiative announced in the last Budget.

The news has been welcomed by David Chaytor, MP for Bury North. He said the money would provide the police with the tools to continue driving out drug dealers and tackling drug crimes. "Bury, like all towns in Greater Manchester, suffers from its proximity to this ugly trade," he said.

"Last week's £5 million drugs bust off Dumers Lane showed that this is a problem which is now right on our doorstep.

"The success of last week's raid is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the police. I hope that the new money will lead to more successes."

Supt Steve Westcott, deputy commander of Bury Police, said: "This grant will benefit our fight against drug misuse in the borough.

"The money has been given to the community safety partnership, in conjunction with the drugs action team, and it will be up to that body to decide how and where the money is spent."

A recent investigation in Bury, codenamed Operation Venice, resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspected dealers. A total of 27 people have so far been jailed in connection with the undercover operation in the Bury area during the spring and summer of last year.