POLICE last night hailed a major blow against the North-East drugs trade after smashing a gang who had pocketed millions from selling heroin.

The ten-strong gang operated from modest homes in Middlesbrough to avoid attracting police attention.

Behind the apparently innocent exterior they controlled a network selling drugs across the region.

Instead of buying flash cars, designer clothes and big houses, the gang members carefully salted the proceeds of their crimes away.

Millions in drugs money were sent abroad where the cash was used to invest in legitimate businesses.

Neighbours living next to their terraced homes had no idea they were major players in the drugs trade.

They gang was finally unmasked after undercover police officers managed to infiltrate the network that supplied hard drugs to desperate addicts on the streets.

What detectives found was a supply network covering not just the North-East, but West Yorkshire and the South Coast as well.

Yesterday, the last of the gang members to appear in court, Tabrez Khan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

The 25-year-old, of Waterloo Road, Middlesbrough, admitted being a telephonist for the gang on a number of occasions. His job was to answering the phone to set up drugs deals.

The network was smashed when more than 100 police officers took part in a series of dawn raids across Teesside and County Durham as part of an investigation codenamed Operation Bridport.

Officers recovered nearly £65,000 in cash, cannabis and heroin, and an illegal CS gas canister.

An international manhunt was launched after one of the suspects fled the country. He is believed to still be at large and officers suspect he is in Pakistan.

The other members of the gang who had previously pleaded guilty are: Amran Bashir, 27, of Falmer Street, Najid Hussain, 24, of Stamford Street, Paul French, 24, of no fixed address, but formerly of Percy Street, James Rutherford, 23, of Sedgebrook Gardens, Michael Saunders, 20, of Kelsall Close, Kerry Bogan, 20, of Costa Street, Michael Arundel, 24, of Belvedere Road, and Naveed Gulbhar, 22, of Park Lane, all Middlesbrough. They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin.

Jeffrey Brown, 32, of High Croft, Spennymoor, County Durham, pleaded guilty on August 6 to supplying class A drugs.

Teesside Crown Court adjourned the case for reports to be prepared ahead of sentencing.