TWELVE people have been arrested in a series of early morning raids on houses in east Durham today.

In an operation aimed at suspected drug dealers, more than 100 Durham Constabulary officers swooped on 11 houses in Easington Colliery and Peterlee.

In Easington Colliery two properties were targeted in Hawthorn Street, one in Thorpe Street, one in Office Street, two in Barwick Street and three in Station Road. In Peterlee one house in Oakerside Drive and one in Cleveland Place were raided.

Police arrested ten men aged between 20 and 36 and two women aged 27 and 31 on suspicion of supplying drugs. They have been taken to Peterlee police station for questioning.

Small amounts of cannabis, tablets and white powder were seized.

Today's action is the latest under the Operation Nimrod banner - a rolling programme of actions aimed at eradicating street-level drug dealing throughout County Durham and Darlington.

Chief Inspector Elaine Taylor said this morning's Nimrod strike against drug dealers in east Durham is the 14th in the force area - the first having taken place in Seaham in 2008.

She added: "The fact that we have returned to this area a number of times does not mean it is any worse than any other part of the county with regard to the supply of drugs.

"Local people have expressed their concerns about drugs and the effect they have on our communities and we are responding to those concerns.

"The co-operation of residents is essential to the success of such action and they can be reassured that information they give to us will be acted upon.

"The people arrested today are known drug dealers supplying heroin and other drugs. Their removal from the streets is the consequence of months of careful evidence gathering."