Police fight drug trade rise

More than £1m worth of drugs has been seized

A rising tide of drugs hitting the streets of Northumbria has led to an increase in narcotics offences.

Up to £1.5m worth of drugs have been seized in the last year.

Latest crime figures also reveal the number of assaults have soared by more than 50% and recorded rapes increased by nearly 25%.

On Wednesday however, police stressed a change in the way crime statistics are recorded nationally may have affected the figures.

I can assure the people of Tyne and Wear and Northumberland that lawlessness is not on the increase

Chief Constable Crispian Strachan

The force said an increase in operations to combat drugs had led to the rise in offences.

An undercover operation in Newcastle and Gateshead led to a gang of drug dealers being jailed for a total of 13 years.

Chief Constable Crispian Strachan said that overall crime has risen by 3.2%.

He said: "We are confident that the reality of crime will remain largely unchanged.

"I can assure the people of Tyne and Wear and Northumberland that lawlessness is not on the increase."

The figures show that nearly 70% of all violent crime was successfully detected.

More patrols

Extra cash from the Home Office has put more officers on the street in both urban and rural areas.

"In the coming months, Northumbria Police will do everything in our power to prevent, reduce and detect crime in partnership with communities and other agencies," said Mr Strachan.

The figures also show house burglaries have gone down by 1.2%.

Other burglaries and car theft rates have been falling in the region for the last 11 years.

Robbery figures have remained unchanged on last year.