A SUSPECTED crack house described by police as a den of iniquity has been closed down.

four people were arrested when officers raided 23 Oxford Street.

Residents in the Railway Village say that the alleged drugs den has made their lives a nightmare.

The tenant of the council flat will appear at Swindon Magistrates' Court tomorrow when she could be thrown out of the house, which will then be boarded up for three months.

If the council application is successful, anyone who goes into the building during the three-month period would be arrested.

The Adver joined officers and council workers as they raided the dingy downstairs flat yesterday morning.

There were used needles strewn about the place and one syringe primed with drugs and ready to use in the kitchen.

Residents in the street came out to watch as the people who they say have made the lives a misery were carted away.

PC Paul Best, the community beat manager for the area, said: "We have had three months of intelligence regarding the premises and the use of the premises for dealing class A drugs, prostitution and anti-social behaviour.

"Swindon Council's crime and disorder team have collated the anti-social behaviour evidence which has come from the community and the closure has come about from intell-igence gathered from the community."

The two men and two women were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

One of the men is from London and the rest are from Swindon.

"A substantial amount of what is believed to be class A drugs has been found on persons living at the premises," PC Best said.

It is the fifth time since February 2005 that the police and council have worked together to close down properties that have been taken over by dealers.

PC Best said the fact that members of the public were willing to come forward with information on the activities at the house showed how bad it was.

"The problem with it being on your doorstep is if you report it then there's a fear factor of potential reprisals and that is across the board in all communities," he said.

"It says a lot that people have stood up and we have to thank them.

"The comments that have been made from members of the public today have been goodbye and good riddance'."

As part of the operation the council also moved a vulnerable tenant from further down the street to another part of town.

Cheri Wright, the council's antisocial behaviour co-ordinator, explained: "Another tenant was moved out of a property because we believe people would have moved straight from 23 Oxford Street to this property.

"We have moved him to a safe place to avoid him being bullied out of his home and have these people setting up there."

She added: "I think it's safe to say living in the area of that property has not been a pleasant experience for some time."

Scott Hargreave, the sergeant for the area, said: "We frequently visit the address and gather intelligence.

"Prior to this raid there were five people still on bail in relation to supplying drugs and that goes back to when we found heroin and cocaine and £1,000 on the premises.

"In the past we have found 10 people in the premises with stolen property and drugs and that's why we have continued to focus on this crack house.

"We don't want them living in that area because, as a result of their activity ,people in the area suffer from crime, such as vehicle crime and burglary.

"We are not going to tolerate it and we will continue to seek the support of the public.

"If we receive information we will act on it and get these people out of the community. It's just a den of iniquity."

l The Advertiser launched the Swindon Drugs Hotline so people can pass on information about drug dealing to the police in confidence. Officers say that they have acted on many tip-offs from the line in the last few months.