COPS have swooped on a suspected crackhouse in Clacton.

Officers, some wearing body armour and carrying riot shields, smashed down the door of the red brick semi-detached house in Fairclough Avenue, which was protected by CCTV equipment.

They had been warned weapons might be found on the premises.

There were shouts and screams from upstairs as officers went in.

Two men and a woman were led handcuffed from the building and taken into custody for questioning.

Police then used a sniffer dog to search the property for class A drugs.

The raid – codenamed Operation Reprint – took place after tip-offs from the public.

Tendring’s district commander Chief Inspector Jon Hayter, who took part in the drugs bust, has vowed to use tough anti-crackhouse powers to blitz drug dens in Clacton.

He said: “It's clear the silent majority in Clacton is wanting to play its part in removing the drug problem in the area, and that’s where we come in.

“If the community comes forward with information about the impact drug dealers’ are having on them, we will close them down using crackhouse legislation.

“But we need the community to help us.”

Yesterday’s operation was the latest in a series of recent raids on suspected dealers.

Police seized substances believed to be Class A drugs, which are being sent away for analysis.

One woman, who asked not to be identified, said drugs were a problem in the Fairclough Avenue area.

Police are now urging more people to come forward with information about suspected crackhouses in Clacton, to help fight the war against drugs.

Mr Hayter added: “This is about improving quality of life for this particular community.

“The dealing of class A drugs can be a real blight for people to contend with.

“I would ask anyone within the community to come forward to provide information to us if drug dealing is causing them any problems.”

l Two men, aged 49 and 26, and a 30-year-old woman were being questioned at Clacton police station yesterday in connection with the raid.