Crack houses targeted in the forthcoming Government purge will be turned into viable living accommodation, said Attorney General Larry Mussenden.

He said 17 had been listed for drug busts and more could follow.

Senator Mussenden said: "If the dealers move and start up somewhere else then we will follow them."

Many of the houses used as drug dens have been left idle because owners lack funds to renovate them.

Sen. Mussenden said Government would look to refit them and recoup the costs later from rent to BHC tenants.

"We are not looking to knock them down when they can be returned to the housing stock."

He said simply boarding houses up was no good as addicts would simply break in but once people were living in the homes the drug users would not have access.

Recently anti-drug campaigner Takbir Sharrieff urged Government to get on with its promise to raid the crack houses but Sen. Mussenden was giving no clues about when action would begin.