FIFTEEN people have been arrested following raids on 13 homes in east Durham this morning.

Teams of officers swooped on properties in Seventh Street, Tenth Street, Eleventh Street, Ash Crescent and Hawthorn Crescent in Horden, Ninth Street in Blackhall, as well as Rosedale Terrace, Welfare Close, Murray Street and Braithwaite Road in Peterlee

Over 100 officers were involved in the crackdown on suspected drug dealers at 7.30am this morning.

The operation resulted in ten men and three women, aged between 17 and 44, being arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A and Class B drugs.

One woman, aged 32, was arrested on suspicion of supplying Class B drugs and one man, aged 29, was arrested on suspicion of four counts of shoplifting.

They are all currently in police custody and being questioned by detectives.

The raids were part of Operation Sledgehammer, Durham Constabulary’s long-running campaign to tackle serious and organised crime.

Inspector Sara Baxter said: “This morning’s raids are the culmination of months of hard work and investigation.

“We have listened to residents’ concerns and we appreciate what they have put up with over the last few months. I hope our actions send out a clear message that we will not tolerate criminality of this nature in our force area, and we will take action to dismantle, disrupt and destroy these networks.”

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are being deployed to the areas around the target properties to provide reassurance and answer any questions residents may have.

Anyone with any information about potential drug dealing and crime in their area should call Durham Constabulary on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.