POLICE infiltrated three drugs rings as they cracked down on the pedlars of heroin and amphetamine in a number of nearby towns.

Undercover officers posed as addicts to get close to the dealers in Bishop Auckland, Shildon and Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Fifteen people appeared at Teesside Crown Court today (Thursday) on a variety of charges arising from last year's Operation Orient.

The nine men and six women appearing in the dock - aged from 27 to 54 - were among those rounded up in the organised blitz.

Many of the deals were carried out on the streets, but others were at the homes of some of the defendants, the court heard.

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield told the court that the operation began after a seizure of heroin was made in March last year.

Just a small amount of the powder was found in the home of Michael Yorke - but there was also £3,423 and "drug paraphernalia".

Mr Hadfield said 'bongs' for smoking drugs, burnt foil and needles were in the house along with Yorke and Andrew Hood.

The men were arrested and their mobile phones showed "coded messages" from people ordering drugs, the prosecutor said.

The house was searched again three months later, and again cash - this time £2,239 - was recovered along with more paraphernalia.

Yorke, 51, of St Johns Walk, Bishop Auckland, and Hood, 44, whose address was given as Holme House Prison, Stockton, are among those in the dock.

It is said they directed a number of street dealers in Bishop Auckland: Angela Hauxwell, 36, of West Lane, Stephen Garnett, 33, of Lime Terrace, Richard Thompson, 33, of no fixed abode, Andrew Ballan, 31, of Wensleydale Street, and Mark Wright, 40, of Princes Street, who failed to turn up at court yesterday.

Those arrested in Shildon were: Lesley Coglan, 49, of Primitive Street, Janette Norman, 54, of Burnie Gardens, Brett Robinson, 27, of Wesley Crescent, Vivien Dent, 56, of Hackworth Road, and Simon Clark, 31, of Jubilee Road.

In Newton Aycliffe, the deals with undercover officers were carried out in August and September last year.

Those arrested were: Teresa Dinsley, 26, of Langdale Place, Liam Dooney, 36, of Callerton Rise, Clinton Ross, 32, of Silverdale Place, and Nikki Ross, 27, of Yarm Road, Darlington.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, will sentence them tomorrow (Friday).