POLICE arrested 98 known criminals in a pre-Christmas crackdown.

During the three-week Operation Bullseye, police in County Durham carried out 60 raids and seized weapons, including shotguns, rifle and handgun ammunition, drugs worth several thousand pounds, and stolen property worth £20,000.

The force used Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems for the first time during the annual operation to track criminals' movements.

The force also ran test purchase schemes to see if off-licences would sell alcohol to under-age teenagers.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Scott said the £30,000 operation also included high-visibility patrols by uniformed officers.

In the four years the operation has been held, more than 600 arrests have been made.