POLICE seized four rifles in early-morning raids in Durham yesterday.
The weapons were seized by detectives, accompanied by officers from Northumbria, who executed search warrants at eight addresses in the Gilesgate and Sherburn Road areas.
Three were found at a house in Gilesgate and the fourth was found at Sherburn Road.
A boxed set of pots and pans, cuddly toys, including several large teddy bears, a video recorder and an amount of cannabis were also seized.
Police believe the property was stolen in shoplifting sprees or shop burglaries.
Three men and a woman, all in their 20s, were arrested on suspicion of firearms offences and handling stolen goods.
The raids were carried out as part of Operation Bullseye, the county-wide crackdown on known criminals in the run-up to Christmas.
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