FORTY-eight class A drug dealers were charged with offences in South Worcestershire over the last year.

The figures, which are three less than the previous year, released today were for the period between April 1 2006 and the end of March 2007 - an average of four a month.

Sgt Paul Hardman, of the Proactive CID Drugs Team, said: "This is very good news. It was a successful 12 months for the team - who worked hard to bring these people to justice - and for everyone from other policing teams across the division who often hand cases over to us.

"We continue to target known drug dealers in our area and have already had a good start to the next 12 months as 14 offenders have been charged since April 1 this year - four ahead of last year's monthly average."

The charges involved possession of and supplying heroin, crack cocaine and/or ecstasy - were made up of 22 offenders from Worcester, 12 from Evesham, nine from Droitwich, four from Pershore and one from Malvern.

The majority were targeted during operations run by the proactive drugs team, which also used information from the public and other intelligence to secure arrests and convictions.

The longest sentences - five years - were imposed on a Pershore man for supplying heroin and a Worcester man for possession with intent to supply class 'A' drugs.

"The figures for last year - and now for the first part of this - clearly demonstrate that illegal drugs remains a prime target for South Worcestershire Police and that we are not - in any way - resting on our laurels," added Det. Sgt. Hardman.