POLICE arrested 13 suspected drugs dealers when a year-long operation culminated in a dawn raid yesterday.

More than 70 officers raided 17 houses in Dean Bank, Ferryhill, and two in Spennymoor, County Durham, in the early hours.

Small quantities of drugs were recovered during the operation, along with sums of cash thought to be the proceeds of drugs dealing.

Ten men and three women, aged between 15 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of dealing in heroin and crack cocaine.

They were being questioned last night in Newton Aycliffe, Bishop Auckland and Durham police stations, on suspicion of being involved in the supply of controlled drugs.

The arrests follow a 12-month operation, codenamed Catchfli, designed to make inroads in the local drugs trade.

Detective Chief Inspector Jeff Watson, crime manager for the Sedgefield division, said: "I am sure this will make a major impact on drug dealing in Dean Bank and send out a strong message to dealers in the area.

"I hope this also reassures local people, who have been very patient over the past 12 months, that we have not been sitting back doing nothing."

He added: "This is not the end of our work. There will be more inquiries made over the next two months, more days of action planned, and more arrests will follow."

Residents of Dean Bank, where most of the arrests were made, said they were delighted that police had taken this positive action.

Ron Greenwell, chairman of the Dean Bank Residents' Association, said: "There has been a problem for quite a while and I think the residents will be very happy with the way police have handled this."

Ferryhill Town Council leader Joe Chaplin said: "There's no doubt this is a good move and hopefully will make it a better place to live."