SEVEN people arrested following a series of dawn raids in a crackdown against suspected illegal “puppy farms” have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Police arrested five men and one woman under the Animal Welfare Act during searches at addresses in Shotton Colliery and nearby Haswell, near Peterlee, County Durham yesterday (Thursday, February 6). A second woman attended a police station voluntarily.

Forty-three dogs and 12 puppies were seized during Operation Waxbill – a joint investigation between the RSPCA and Durham Police.

A Durham Police spokesman said: “All seven were interviewed by police and RSPCA staff before being released on bail, pending further inquiries until early May.

“Their ages range from 25 to 54 years old and they are all residents of Shotton Colliery or Haswell.”

He added: “The dogs and puppies recovered during the operation have been examined by vets and are now in the care of the RSPCA.”

An RSPCA spokesman said: “The dogs haven’t been handed over to us and continue to be the property of the owners.

"They are in our care and will continue to be in our care until the investigation is complete or until such time as they decide to sign them over to us.

“If we don’t decide to proceed to a court case the dogs will have to be given back, or it may that it will go to court and it will be a decision for the court to make.”

She added the dogs and puppies had been examined by vets, but could not go into detail about their condition.

Anyone with information about the unregulated sale of puppies contact police on 101 or ring the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.