THIS was the dramatic scene as plain clothes police officers arrested a man they suspected of being a drug dealer.

They swooped on him as he came out of the PL Polish shop, in Walmgate, York, at about 12.30pm yesterday.

Onlookers gathered to watch as the man was handcuffed and put in the back of a police van.

He was taken to Fulford Road police station, where he was searched, but he was not found to be in possession of any illegal substances.

He was later released without charge.

Sergeant Martin Metcalfe, of the Guildhall's neighbourhood policing team, said: "We will continue to hit any suspected criminals hard - and I mean really hard - in the city centre."