A NUMBER of suspected crack houses have been raided during the past few days as part of a clampdown in a North-East town.

As part of Cleveland Police's Dealer a Day Initiative, drugs investigators - backed by sniffer dogs - raided ten properties in Middlesbrough.

Twenty people were arrested.

Last night, five people remained in custody, two had been charged with possession of cannabis, and four were released on police bail pending further inquiries.

A further nine have been released.

A number of those arrested are believed to be illegal immigrants from the West Indies and will be dealt with by officers from the immigration service.

A quantity of what is believed to be crack cocaine, some cannabis and an amount of cash were recovered in the raids.