SEVEN people were arrested in a series of morning raids in the North-East yesterday.

More than 50 officers were involved in the operation, codenamed Palmar, which targeted seven homes in the Dean Bank and Lakes estate of Ferryhill, County Durham, and one house in nearby Chilton.

The five men and two women, aged from their early 20s to late 30s, are alleged to have been involved in the supply of heroin. They were taken to police stations in Darlington, Newton Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland.

Specialist police teams moved into the properties to carry out detailed searches, during which they recovered a small amount of a substance believed to be heroin.

Detective Superintendent Harry Stephenson, who co-ordinated the operation, said the raids were the culmination of an intelligence-led investigation that began three months ago.

He said: "The operation is yet another demonstration of the force's commitment to confronting those people we believe are involved in networks supplying illegal drugs."

Police community safety officers distributed about 200 leaflets to nearby homes, informing them of the operation.

Meanwhile, 18 people arrested in unconnected drug raids, which centred on Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, are due to appear before North Durham magistrates in Consett this morning.

Nine men and one woman have been charged with conspiracy to supply heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis. Six others are accused of conspiracy to supply heroin. Another man faces a charge of offering to supply cannabis. One remaining suspect was expected to have been charged with drug-related offences by today.

Four of the 18 face additional charges of house burglary and breaking into hospitals, schools and offices.