POLICE in Rossendale today issued a stark warning to drug dealers after a series of raids in the borough this week.

Officers who took part in the dawn swoops said the operation was just the start of an on-going campaign to rid the streets of illegal substances and the people who peddle them.

Two women and three men were today released on police bail after several warrants were executed at addresses in Bacup and Stacksteads on Wednesday.

The raids formed part of Lancashire Police's Safer Streets initiative which aims to tackle drug dealers in the county.

Police say the drugs seized in the raids were a "sizeable" quantity of what was believed to be heroin, as well as substances thought to be cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamine.

The substances have been sent off for analysis and police say they expect serious charges to follow the results of the tests.

Inspector Chris Bithell, who co-ordinated this week's raids, said they should act as a warning to anyone dealing in illegal drugs in the Rossendale Valley.

He added: "These arrests were just part of our on-going campaign to try and tackle drug dealers in Rossendale and across the division.

"We will continue with these warrants against suspected drug dealers for as long as it takes.

"We are getting a huge amount of support from the public and a great deal of information from them.

"This is vital to us and I would urge people to continue coming forward with information about drug dealing in their area.

"I would warn anybody dealing drugs in Rossendale to be aware that we are targeting them and anybody caught can expect a long prison sentence."