AN 18-year-old man was due to appear in court today following a series of police swoops on Ipswich's drugs underworld.Armed officers pounced on three addresses in the town yesterday and seized a quantity of illegal substances.

AN 18-year-old man was due to appear in court today following a series of police swoops in Ipswich.

Armed officers pounced on three addresses in the town yesterday and seized a quantity of illegal substances.

The co-ordinated early morning raids resulted in five people being arrested, three men and two women.

Christopher Southart, 18, of Perkins Way, Ipswich, has today been charged with possession of heroin with intent to supply.

He is also accused of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and theft. He was due to appear before Ipswich magistrates from 10am.

A 37-year-old Ipswich man and a 34-year-old man from Eye, along with a 21-year-old woman from Ipswich, have been bailed to return to the town's police station on July 21.

A 50-year-old Ipswich woman will answer bail on July 27.

Officers executed the warrants at homes in Wherstead Road, Cromwell Square and Alderlee.

Police sniffer dogs and the force helicopter were used in the operation, which saw firearm officers stand on guard outside the properties.

A man, who lives in Cromwell Square, spoke of his shock at the sudden raid.

He said: "We were woken by a bang at about 6.45am. We didn't know what was happening but we looked out and saw the police and their guns.

"There's a young girl living at the house that was raided and there's always quite a lot of people coming and going. It's like Waterloo Station at times."

Another neighbour, of Cromwell Square, added: "I don't know the girl who lives there because she's not been there long."

A Wherstead Road resident said: "All I know is that I was woken by the police. I don't know what happened. I saw the police around here but we weren't what was going on."

This is the latest crackdown in an ongoing battle against the town's drugs trade. It follows the successful prosecution of 28 defendants as part of Operation Taurus last year.