ARMED police raided a hotel after a room was reportedly used for drug deals.

The officers swooped in to the Ambassadors Hotel in New Steine in Brighton on Thursday afternoon.

Witnesses saw them go into the hotel, and two young men were arrested.

Police say one of the young men was seen trying to throw away wraps of crack cocaine, while another had cannabis.

Joe Phillips, who works at Inka Tattoos on the same road as the Ambassador Hotel, said: “I saw four kids running up the road and then they split off at the top in four different directions.

“There was a van parked outside the hotel and two police cars pulled up on either side of it and seemed to pen it in.”

Images from Brighton Business Crime Reduction Partnership shows one of the suspects being put into a police car.

Neighbours have reported problems with drugs gangs in the area, and say it has left them scared to leave their homes.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “This has been going on for a long time, with drug dealing here and people getting high in the park.

“It is a real nuisance, with noise at all times at night. People get woken up, and I go to my doorstep for a cigarette, and there are dealers going past trying to offer me drugs.

“I don’t feel safe going outside, the drug dealing is making it dangerous for people living here.

“There were seven police cars in the road, and some unmarked police cars from CID. The armed police went in through the back of the hotel, as they thought someone might have jumped over a wall there.

“We have a lot of hotels around here, and I think it puts people off wanting to come here.”

The Ambassador’s hotel owner confirmed that a raid had taken place as drug dealing had been suspected in one of the rooms.

Police said: “Two men were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs in New Steine at 2pm on Thursday.

“Prevention police officers were on patrol and spotted two men acting suspiciously. They ran away from officers and one of them was seen to throw away wraps of suspected crack cocaine.

“A 21-year-old man and 19-year-old man were detained and remain custody. The 19-year-old also arrested on suspicion of possession of cannabis.”

Have you been affected by crime and drug dealing in your area?

Contact The Argus crime reporter Aidan Barlow on 01273 021383 or email aidan.barlow@theargus.co.uk.