Dawn raids and street searches of 70 suspected drug dealers have netted neighbourhood police a haul of weapons and drugs with a street value of £30,000 during a week-long sweep of Bradford housing estates.

Axes, swords and machetes were seized during Operation Smartwood, which targeted the Bowling, Barkerend and Bradford Moor areas.

Officers confronted suspects acting on tip-offs from residents fed-up with criminals blighting their estates.

Thanks to them, Operation Smartwood successfully secured: l Fifteen arrests.

* £20,000 of heroin and crack cocaine.

* £8,500 in cash and £750 of fines.

* Eighteen penalty notices for cannabis possession, equating to £1,440.

* Seven vehicles impounded.

Inspector Andy Gallant, of the Bowling, Barkerend and Bradford Moor Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “A majority of the arrests concerned the supply of class A drugs and this has been largely down to the support of the community.

“On the final day of the operation for instance, approximately £20,000 of suspected heroin and crack cocaine was recovered from a house in Quaker Street, Undercliffe.”

Insp Gallant thanked those residents who gave valuable help to the police.

“I have simply done what I promised, responded to calls from the community who, in turn, have shown the confidence to feed us with vital information,” he said.

“I will continue to apply the pressure on dealers and will do whatever I can to answer the calls from residents, hitting criminals head-on so people feel safe where they live and work.

“There are certain individuals who may think they are above the law. However, this latest operation should be a stark warning to anyone involved in drugs activity.”

Neighbourhood Policing Team member Sergeant Matt Walker added: “The community have responded fantastically and gave us significant information which we used to make arrests and seizures.

“Drug dealing is one area highlighted to us through local meetings. We acted upon those concerns and have built up trust which is now providing results.

“Although this latest operation has been a success, the work does not stop here and it will remain a continued priority.”