POLICE are cracking down on drug dealers in Watford under a new initiative aimed at removing class A drugs from the community.

Operation Crystal, launc- hed on Monday will use a core team of detectives dedicated to coordinating intelligence across the force with the aim of disrupting and disabling the increasing use of crack cocaine markets.

The scheme also hopes to tackle other associated class A drugs from being sold and bought in Watford.

The news follows a seizure in Watford last month of 220 kilos of cocaine with a street value of around £20m and a tonne and a half of cannabis.

The haul was the largest amount ever seized in Hertfordshire.

But although Hertforshire does not suffer the same severity of problems as other areas with regard to crack cocaine, head of the operation, Detective Superintendent Steve Read acknowleged its existance and described it as a "rapidly spreading cancer".

Under the new initiative he hopes that the police will prevent the situation from developing further.

He said: "Everyone has a part to play in keeping crack out of the community.

"People need to know what crack is and what to look out for, so they can provide us with the information we need to take crack off the streets."

He added: "Residents are our eyes and ears on the local streets and we need people to provide us with information about suspicious activity in the neighbourhood that they may be concerned is drug related."

Detective Superintendent Read believes that tackling drug problems in the area will reduce the amount of crime in the area.

He said that drugs attracted violent crimes from people desperate to feed their highly addictive habit, which can cost them around £20 to £1,000 a week.

He also revealed that 30 to 40 per cent of crime is drug related and success would not be measured in a reduction of this level, not in the amount of arrests.

The police will also be working with a variety of agencies aiming to get drug users help to beat their habit.

Ms Laura Brennan from Hertfordshire's Drugs Action Team said: "Reducing demand for crack cocaine and other drugs is equally important and evidence shows that treatment works for drug users.

"There are a number of services available to those misusing crack cocaine."