EIGHT people arrested earlier this week in raids at homes of people suspected to be involved in drug dealing have been bailed by police.

Officers from the Durham force made “pre-planned strikes” at nine addresses, most in the east of the county, but also in neighbouring Sunderland and South Shields.

The village of South Hetton was at the centre of the operation, with homes targeted in Regents Court, Front Street, Quinn Square, Fallowfield Terrace and Hedley Terrace.

Another property searched was in Lilywhite Terrace, in nearby Easington Lane.

More than £100,000 was seized in the co-ordinated raids, on Wednesday morning (April 8).

Various quantities of what are believed to be controlled drugs were also recovered.

The six men and two women detained, all aged 29 to 74, were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A drugs and money laundering.

All were questioned before being released on police bail until late next month, pending further inquiries.

The raids were staged as part of the latest phase of the on-going Operation Sledgehammer, launched in 2010 to combat organised crime in the Durham Police area.