AGGRESSIVE beggars have been arrested in a drive by police to rid Newcastle city centre of them.
Officers acted after complaints from shoppers, traders, office workers and visitors.
It led to 12 arrests, with those charged to appear before Newcastle magistrates later this month.
There were 155 begging offences recorded in the city centre last year and police singled out 13 hardened offenders during their purge.
The main problem areas were the Quayside, Haymarket and Grey's Monument.
Police said 90 per cent of people asking for money on Newcastle's streets are not homeless and most are drug addicts.
Under a new scheme, anyone found begging is immediately referred to Turning Point, a Government-backed national organisation helping people with drug and alcohol problems.
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