THESE were the dramatic scenes as police knocked down a door in a drugs bust in York yesterday.

Neighbours watched as officers burst through the door of the house in Kingsway North, Clifton, and searched the property with sniffer dogs. A man was arrested for being in possession of controlled drugs.

Police said the house was known in the area and had been raided before.

Sergeant Michelle Falkingham, part of the warrant strike team, said: "A search warrant was executed and we put the door through. This was a fully planned operation as a result of some intelligence.

"It's obviously a positive result for the area, and it's good for people in the area to see the police taking positive action against drug dealers and drug users."

On Wednesday, the team raided a house in Foxwood, where they found a "substantial" amount of a white substance which they believed to be heroin. It has been sent away for testing.

Two people were arrested and charged with possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply.

Customs & Excise officials also swooped on an address in Melrosegate, off Hull Road, yesterday after the occupants were reported to be selling smuggled cigarettes.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "We've had people come with their vans and knock on our door at 10 o'clock at night, saying they've come for some baccy. It's not nice - I've got kids.

"It's really good to see something's being done about it."

John Kinghorn, head of detection for Yorkshire and the North East, said: "We are committed to stopping smuggled cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol hitting the streets of Yorkshire. This illegal black market trade lines the pockets of criminals instead of funding vital public services."

The raids were part of a series of neighbourhood action days involving police, Customs & Excise officers, the DVLA, the fire service and City of York Council.

They were launched to crack down on the crimes which residents said most affected their quality of life after pilot surveys were carried out to find out what people wanted police to spend their resources on.

In the first four of five action days a total of 36 people were arrested, 216 vehicle offences were dealt with, and 38 warrants were executed. There were 95 clean-ups, 50 visits to licensed premises and 16 vehicles seized.

Police have collected £1,542 in outstanding fines and received 130 intelligence reports.

Action days took place in Micklegate, Westfield, Heworth, Woodthorpe and Dringhouses and Clifton.

Updated: 09:35 Friday, January 20, 2006