Police have smashed a drugs operation in which a dealer commuted from London seven days a week to supply Sussex addicts.

Heroin and crack cocaine were being dealt from telephone kiosks, in a garden and at bus stops outside an address in Brighton.

The dealer travelled from London to Brighton every day and worked his patch until 7pm.

Our reporter watched as he took an average £100 an hour from users buying at a rate of one every ten minutes.

He kept the drugs in his mouth, ready to swallow if he was arrested.

Men, women, teenagers, a man walking with crutches and a woman with two children in the back of her car arrived to buy drugs.

One woman was seen taking drugs as soon as she bought them and at one point five people were seen queuing to do deals.

Officers swooped shortly after 5pm yesterday and arrested two men. Motorists and passers-by watched a brief and dramatic struggle as the suspects were handcuffed.

By 7pm, officers had made three arrests, including one suspect wanted in connection with the supply of drugs in Reading.

Police were hoping one of the suspects, believed to have swallowed drugs, would pass evidence through his system.

The size of the operation in Preston Road was stark evidence of how the drugs problem has exploded in Brighton and Hove in recent years.

Police believe there are many similar operations and the number of addicts is growing every week.

Detective Constable Stuart Parsons, who headed yesterday's Operation Flipper, said: "Many people just don't realise how evil and addictive these drugs are.

"Pushers are moving down from London and our concern is they will be followed by the knife and gun violence we see in the capital.

"We are planning many more police operations like this one."

Funding is coming from the Drugs and Alcohol Action Team, a new government initiative focusing solely on drug dealers in the city during the next two years.

The Home Office and Sussex Police have this year put fighting dealers top of their priority lists.

Yesterday's main target was a 19-year-old who faces a maximum 14 years in prison for possession with intent to supply.

Officers let customers come and go until the right deal came along they pounced.

Mr Parsons said: "Addicts are not the priority. Pushers are the ones in our sights.

"They are making thousands of pounds every day from other people's misery and suffering."

He appealed to anyone with information about drug suspects to contact Brighton police on 0845 6070999.