Dawn raids target heroin dealers

More dawn raids have been carried out by police in County Durham in an ongoing operation to net drug dealers.

Seven people were arrested on Thursday as 50 officers targeted eight properties in Ferryhill, near Bishop Auckland.

Durham Police said the operation was focused on the supply of heroin.

The raids come less than 24 hours after 19 people were arrested in a region-wide drugs operation which involved sealing off an entire village.

A spokesman for Durham Police said five men and two women were arrested at Ferryhill.

Illegal drugs

The spokesman said: "The raids were the culmination of a three-month intelligence-led operation, codenamed Palmar.

"After the arrests, specialist police teams entered the properties to carry out extensive searches.

"Those arrested were taken to police stations in Darlington, Newton Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland."

On Wednesday, the village of Grange Villa was sealed off during an operation which involved officers from three police forces.

In one of the biggest operations ever mounted in the region, 17 men and two women were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply illegal drugs.

Organised drug dealing

More than 250 officers were involved in the operation, codenamed Grenada.

Durham Police officers carried out simultaneous raids in Chester-le-Street, Stanley, Sacriston and Ouston.

As part of the same operation, Northumbria Police swooped on three addresses in Hebburn, Birtley and Beacon Lough, while Cleveland Police moved in on properties in Middlesbrough and Stockton.

Those arrested were aged in their 20s and 30s and were taken to police stations throughout the region.

A police spokesman said one of the 19 arrested on Wednesday had been released on police bail. The others were still being questioned.