POLICE are hammering the Bay's drugs underworld with the seizure of almost £40,000 of heroin and cannabis in a string of 17 raids over the last two months.

The relentless attack on dealers and producers was continuing today with a specialist team executing a warrant on yet another property in the resort.

Altogether 15 people have been arrested on suspicion of trading, possession and cultivation offences and three received warnings for cannabis possession across the three towns since the start of the onslaught in the summer.

PC Lee Langley, who has spearheaded the strikes, said before today's swoop: "We've been very pleased at the number of arrests we've chalked up.

"You could say we are on a roll at the moment.

"One thing is for sure — and that is that anyone foolish enough to dabble in drugs can expect a knock on their door from us any day.

"They have to ask themselves whether it's worth the risk doing what they do. The alternative could be a hefty fine, a prison sentence — or both."

He revealed that drugs with a street value of well over £35,000, mostly cannabis and heroin, had been confiscated by his teams since July when the blitz started.

Other drugs seized in the operation, codenamed Fundamental, have included ecstasy, amphetamine and the heroin substitute methadone.

Officers have also confiscated as much as £8,000 cash from searched properties, the proceeds of the dealers and growers.

Two cars, worth several thousand pounds, have been seized and impounded over the period of the raids.

And 33 stop and search actions have been carried out under the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

PC Langley said: "These clampdowns will continue for as long as necessary.

"We've given fair warning to those who wrongly think they can get away with involvement in the illicit drugs trade."