A POLICE chief has spoke of his delight after two drug dens were ordered to be closed down.

Acting Chief Inspector Steve Young, of Cleveland Police, said the ruling to shut down the adjoining premises on Norton Road, in Stockton, will improve the area for those living nearby.

At Teesside Magistrates Court yesterday a three month closure order was granted.

On Monday the homes were raided by police and two men were arrested and charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Acting Chief Insp Young said: "It all started when the community came to us with a problem. We made a promise that we would deal with it and this is what we have done.

"These people have cause absolute misery for residents living in the area. They have been bringing the neighbourhood down.

"It is not too bad an area and there are some honest hardworking people living here.

"People do not have any sympathy for them being made homeless as they should not have been dealing drugs in the first place."

He added: "I think it will have a massive positive affect on the area and the community have got the result they wanted."

Teesside Magistrates Court heard how the premises had been known to police as being associated with drugs for many years.

Magistrates were told how the order was needed to prevent any future drug activity.

PC Paul Lockwood said: "This property came to our notice quite a few years ago. In the past there have been seizures of class A drugs.

"As a result of the drug problem in the area, we had undercover officers acting as drug addicts and they were given drugs.

"There has been a lot going on in the area. There have been youths congregating in the area waiting for the signal to get their drugs.

"There have been lots of reports of fighting and people have even been stabbed."

The families were seen moving out of the properties yesterday morning. The houses were boarded up last night.

The owner of the premises is believed to have backed police in the seeking of the closure order.