POLICE in North Kent carried out their biggest ever crackdown on hardcore drugs and firearms early today.

In a series of 18 raids throughout the area and other parts of the South East, 25 people were arrested and thousands of pounds of heroin, cocaine, crack-cocaine and Ecstasy were seized. Police said the drugs had a value of about £50,000. Twenty six firearms were also recovered.

The high profile bust involving 200 officers was a result of two years extensive investigation linking suspects to big time Jamaican dealers.

Medway's area commander Supt Giles York said: "The success of Operation Hero means integral links of the drug crime chain have been removed. Key members of this chain of criminality have been targeted. We have focused on the high links of the chain. This has only been achieved by hard work and commitment from officers across Kent and other forces.

"In the past we have been criticised by the public for not dealing with single one-off incidents of drug-dealing. I think what we have achieved today is a significant destruction in Medway by hitting at the heart of the problem."

The first addresses were targeted simultaneously at 6.30am followed by another wave of raids two hours later. Acting Chief Constable Mike Bowron accompanied Supt York on some of the raids.

He said: "There has been some resistence including being greeted by a Rottweiler and a bag of heroin was thrown from an upstairs window. I was disturbed at the number of young children under the age of seven at some of the addresses."

Several of those arrested are due to appear before Medway magistrates tomorrow.