NEARLY 100 police officers took part in a crime crackdown across the region as part of an ongoing operation to rid the streets of criminals.

Suspects were led away in handcuffs as Cleveland Police mounted the latest phase of Operation Sabre.

About 90 addresses were raided, including 18 in Langbaurgh, and police took away people suspected of offences ranging from burglary, drug dealing and theft, to an assault on a community street warden.

Custody suites across the region were inundated with 33 new arrivals from the Operation Sabre crackdown.

Chief Constable Sean Price addressed the officers at a briefing on Wednesday morning at Middlesbrough Football Club's Riverside Stadium.

He said: "We are continuing to take out people who are generally causing misery in our communities."

As the driving wind made people think twice about leaving their homes, police officers and community wardens executed numerous warrants.

Homes were searched for drugs and evidence as dog handlers and armed officers were on stand-by.

Four drugs warrants were carried out and addresses in Brotton and Redcar were also targeted.

Suspects wanted for burglary, vehicle theft and criminal damage were on the hit-list, which included people identified through DNA evidence.

Nine people were arrested in the Langbaurgh area.

Chief Insp Gary Stephenson, who led the operation, was delighted with the results.

He said: "The criminals of Cleveland have been made aware that even severe weather conditions will not stop our continuing campaign to harass, arrest and make life difficult for them.

"This was a new phase of Operation Sabre carried out across the force area and we have now arrested almost 1,200 people since its launch in April last year."

Following the briefing at the Riverside Stadium Mr Price lead a convoy of police vehicles.

In one raid at about 8am, a police van, emblazoned with Operation Sabre stickers, arrived at an address in Billingham, looking for a robbery suspect.

A young man was woken as five officers knocked on his front door.

He was led away in handcuffs and taken to Stockton police station for interview.

After the raids, Chief Insp Stephenson said: "For those people who escaped our clutches in these raids, the fight is not over. We will return.

"Our promise is that Sabre will be relentless and that is good news for the vast majority of people living in the Cleveland area."