A WOMAN was arrested after a series of drug raids on houses across York city centre.

About 25 police officers from York combined forces with Ministry of Defence Police from RAF Dishforth to carry out "Operation Curable" targeting three council flats connected with suspected drug crimes in Walmgate and The Groves.

Officers armed with battering rams and pepper sprays raided all three addresses with a woman being arrested at a flat in Walmgate where a large amount of cannabis, cash and drug-related paraphernalia was seized.

All three addresses were raided at the same time, 7pm last night, to have maximum impact.

It took ten rounds of the battering ram to get into one property in The Groves where cannabis was seized, but no arrests were made at the flat or a further address.

A number of police operations have taken place in The Groves over the last three years and the officer in charge of this latest operation, Inspector Richard Crinion, said the police were continuing their bid to stamp out drug crime.

He said: "Over recent years we have witnesses a resurgence in drug use in one or two key areas of the city and the operation was about targeting one or two key players within those communities.

"It was important we targeted them all at once so that no one could be warned that we were coming. The message we are trying to get across is that drugs crimes will not be tolerated and this operation was all about cementing that message.

"We will seize any property found to have been bought from the proceeds of drug-related crime and push to follow up with the council for evictions to be carried out."

Meanwhile, a drug dealer who is serving an eight-year jail term was officially evicted from his council house yesterday.

City of York Council gained a court order to evict 41-year-old drug dealer Malcolm Casey who was jailed in March for dealing Class A drugs from his council property in Horsman Avenue.

The Press reported on March 10 that York Crown Court heard how Casey pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with intent on January 15 and possessing heroin and cocaine on November 7, both with intent.

Members of the council's tenancy enforcement and legal teams were successful in securing an immediate Possession Order from York County Court last week.

Neil McFarlane, from the council's Tenancy Enforcement Team, said: "Malcolm Casey had been carrying out illegal drug- related activities from his council home for some time.

"The council will not tolerate antisocial behaviour and I am delighted that the problem has been removed from the neighbourhood for the benefit of neighbours and future tenants."

The property will be re-let to new tenants.

Updated: 09:15 Saturday, May 06, 2006