THREE men were being quizzed today after police swooped on the first day of a major crackdown on drug dealers in Southampton.

The trio, all in their 20s, were arrested at a flat in the Golden Grove area of St Mary's and taken to Southampton Central police station for questioning.

Police said a substantial quantity of drugs had also been seized from the address.

The operation was led by Southampton police's pro-active unit and involved about 35 officers. It marked the start of the new high-profile Rat on a Rat campaign, a joint initiative between the Crimestoppers charity and Hampshire police.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, the campaign aims to combine a public awareness drive with tough enforcement action against suspected dealers.

The launch also saw specialist police sniffer dogs checking commuters arriving on trains in Southampton city centre.

Two-year-old black labrador Amara is one of only two "passive" sniffer dogs used in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Specially trained to detect drugs in the air around people, she was the centre of attention at Southampton Central railway station yesterday.

Handler PC Paul Sainsbury said Amara had already clocked up a 90 per cent success rate across the county, with her biggest result to date being 82 Ecstasy tablets.

Her keen nose is capable of sniffing out any type of drug - even the so-called date rape drug Rohypnol.

Police warned she and other sniffer dogs would be regularly used to stop so-called human mules bringing down drugs from London to sell in Southampton and Portsmouth.

The campaign, backed by the Daily Echo, is part of Hampshire police's Safer Streets initiative.

Hampshire Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan, who briefed officers in Southampton before they left to execute two search warrants, said: "There is no doubt abuse of illegal drugs is a significant crime generator.

"People addicted to drugs often commit crimeto feed their habit. Indeed, many of our most prolific burglars and those responsible for carrying out vehicle crime are users.

"Through Rat on a Rat, we are urging members of the public to contact Crimestoppers with information about drug dealing in their area and help us make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight even safer places to live, work and visit."

Simon Theobalds, chairman of Crimestoppers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, added: "Drugs normally come from someone in the neighbourhood - someone who is known to and knows you. This does not entitle them to the protection.

"All dealers are rats - a plague in Hampshire. They are vermin and do not deserve respect or protection. It's OK to rat on a rat - it's all they deserve.

"If you are frightened of them, Crimestoppers makes sure that no one knows you phoned."

Anyone with information about drug dealing should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.