Homes threat in drugs blitz

Council chiefs in Cannock today gave a zero tolerance warning to tenants after three police raids in the district.

Officers smashed their way into three council houses at Whitby Way, Warwick Close and Bath Road, in a new crackdown to stamp out drugs use and drug dealing from council homes.

One man was arrested at Bath Road in relation to drugs offences and police are continuing their investigations into the two other houses following the early morning raids on Friday.

Tenants at both Whitby Way and Warwick Close have now been warned they could be evicted.

In a fourth development the council has taken back possession of a flat in Trinity Close where neighbours had complained of drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.

Tenancy Nigel Haywood, tenancy services manager at Cannock Chase Council, said front doors were damaged in the raids.

He said: "Tenants have been told they are responsible for the repairs."

He added: "The actions we have taken are a clear warning to anyone who commits a criminal offence from a council tenancy that they put their tenancy at risk and also, if you are the tenant and are not the criminal, but you have someone who is conducting criminal activity and they live under your roof, it is your tenancy that is at risk not theirs."

Mr Haywood said the occupants of the flat in Trinity Close had caused significant nuisance.

He said: "This was due to the number of visitors and the drug use associated with the property.

"This action was the result of clear concise and accurate information provided by the public to both the police and housing department.

"In this instance the process was over and done with in less than 30 minutes."

The whereabouts of the former tenant of the Trinity Close flat is unknown.