Drugs dealers have been using threats and intimidation to target vulnerable people in a coastal town, police have revealed.

Officers from Felixstowe’s Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) revealed how one woman “lost control” over dealers, who regularly visited her home and took advantage of her vulnerable position.

Police said they have spent the past two months gathering intelligence on drug dealing in the Suffolk town, saying they have “worked with other organisations to support and safeguard vulnerable individuals targeted by these groups”.

As part of that, they supported one Class A drug addict who had been “subject to unwanted threats and visits by drug dealers who were taking advantage of her vulnerable position”.

A spokesman for Suffolk Constabulary added: “She had lost control over these people and the resulting activity at her address had raised anti-social behaviour complaints from neighbours.

“Through this support the woman responded very positively and embarked on a drug rehabilitation programme and her health has improved immensely as a result.

“Police helped to install a home security doorbell system which deterred the dealers from calling at her address as their images were recorded at the front door of the premises.

“The lady has changed her life around and relocated to a nearby town to start again.”

In another alleged incident, police said three people from London had been arrested following a reported robbery at an address where Class A drugs were also seized.

“Working with partners, the tenant associated with the address where the suspects had been staying has also been rehomed, preventing any future opportunity for the drug dealers to return,” the police spokesman added.

Tackling drug trafficking is one of the priorities for the SNT in Felixstowe as part of work to deal with “county lines”, where drug dealers leave major cities and head to quieter rural areas to set up base and deal.

Police say they often exploit the vulnerable using coercion, intimidation, violence and weapons.

Much work has been done across the county this year to deal with the issue, including a week of national action earlier this year.