Every plane arriving at Gatwick from Jamaica carries at least one courier hiding cocaine in their baggage or inside their bodies.

That is how serious the drugs problem has become and, unless police and the public fight back, the streets of Brighton and Hove and every other major town and city in Sussex will experience a rise in violence, possibly shootings and murders, as gangs fight each other for "turf".

These are not the alarmist words of a scaremonger. They come from Chief Constable Ken Jones, who is determined to keep the lid on the problem of crack cocaine.

Mr Jones has laid out his fears and plans in a special report to force watchdogs the Sussex Police Authority.

Crack cocaine is a smokeable form of the drug, widely known as rocks.

The rock is smoked and provides a very quick method of absorbing the drug into the body, creating an extremely intense but short-lived euphoria. There is a danger of almost immediate addiction.

Mr Jones, in his report, spelled out the dangers: "The risks of prolonged use include severe depression, extreme antisocial behaviour, increased aggression and paranoia.

"The drug has a major corrosive impact on communities, characterised by extreme violence and escalating crime."

As the trade in imported cocaine from Jamaica took hold in the UK in the late Nineties, the price for a rock of crack weighing about 0.2g fell to about £20, making it widely available.

Mr Jones said: "There was a rise in shootings and murders among competing dealerships and against those who had drug debts."

But only small amounts of crack were seen in Sussex until two years ago.

In August 2000, the Brighton intelligence unit identified a group of Caribbean nationals who had moved from London to set up a network in Sussex to supply the drug.

Mr Jones said: "Part of their operation was to arrange the importation of drugs into Gatwick or Heathrow airports. The couriers would then be met and taken to safe houses, where the cocaine was processed into crack.

"Other couriers would then deliver relatively small amounts of crack to houses in Sussex towns, known as crack houses, from where users would be supplied.

"These houses were often occupied by heroin addicts who already had an identified established dealership.

"These occupants were paid in crack and/or forced through violence to allow their premises to be used."

From this initial small start, dealing in crack cocaine has increased significantly, with 30 Sussex addresses identified as crack houses by 2001 and their locations spreading to include Highdown, East Downs, Weald and Forest divisions as well as Brighton and Hove.

Mr Jones said that, by this year, the cumulative number of crack houses had grown to almost 80, with about 15 operating at any one time in all parts of the force area.

He said: "Violence associated with the emergence of crack activity has increased during the past two years with a number of serious assaults occurring incorporating the use of firearms.

"Intelligence in relation to the importation of cocaine has identified that each commercial flight from Jamaica into our airports carries a number of couriers who have swallowed concealed cocaine internally or have the drug hidden in their baggage.

"In 2001, Operation Sceptre was established to provide a strategic overview, develop intelligence and enable an operational response at all levels, divisional, force and national.

"In every division of Sussex Police a number of operations have been, and are being, conducted to disrupt the locations where crack dealing is taking place.

"This has included some excellent work with our partner agencies, particularly the local authorities and health service.

"It is essential to remove the visible signs which blight the community through swift disruptive action as well as the medium-term operations to prosecute dealers and organisers in this evil trade."

Targeted operations against the dealers have disrupted crack networks and netted dealers.

Operation Escape in Brighton led to the seizure of 0.5kg of crack with a street value of £50,000 and £250,000 in assets.

Operation Tiptoe in Worthing resulted in ten arrests and the recovery of a large quantity of drugs.

Operation County in Eastbourne resulted in 37 arrests and the discovery of drugs worth £3,000.

Mr Jones said: "Sussex Police are working with Customs and Excise, the Home Office, immigration and other forces towards reducing the flow of cocaine through Gatwick.

"Sussex officers regularly liaise with colleagues from our neighbouring forces, specifically Operation Trident in the Metropolitan Police and Operation Atrium in Avon and Somerset to ensure all information and intelligence is shared and we learn from best practice."

He revealed how, at a force performance meeting on May 21 this year, it was agreed Operation Sceptre was a policing priority for the force and that divisional and force level resources should be concentrated in this area It was also agreed the Sussex force's intelligence bureau and the crime and drug unit would be dedicated to disrupting those involved in cocaine supplying.

Mr Jones said: "We are seeking the support of the police authority and the wider community to enable us to identify and disrupt those dealing in this highly addictive and dangerous drug, with its associated violence and escalating crime.

"This growing problem has been identified early in Sussex and we are determined to prevent continued escalation to the levels identified in London and other major cities in the UK."

The authority gave the chief its unreserved support and Mr Jones asked the public for direct help.

He urged anyone with information about drug dealers to call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.