A NORTH-East police chief has told drug barons in the region to expect a knock on their doors.

The warning came as officers, including armed response teams, swooped on 32 homes across Stockton, Eagescliffe, Ingleby Barwick and Darlington yesterday and arrested 23 people for drugs offences.

Officers seized £45,000 in cash, £2,000 worth of controlled drugs and a banned stun gun.

Of the 23 arrested, police said last night that eight are expected to be charged with serious drugs offences when they appear before Teesside Magistrates today.

Of the rest, 13 have been released on police bail pending forensic and other inquiries and two have been cautioned for possession of a controlled drug.

Following the raids, which involved more than 200 police officers, Chief Constable Sean Price said: "If you are dealing in drugs, expect a very loud knock on your door."

One of those being quizzed by detectives yesterday was arrested at premises in Darlington, where two addresses were raided by 20 police officers from Durham Constabulary. Mr Price said: "This is a huge issue. We have a long way to go, but we are moving in the right direction.

"We will be mounting many more raids on this scale.''

Operation Warrior was the result of two years of painstaking police intelligence work.

The man in charge of the investigation, Chief Superintendent John Tough, said: "I think people will be feeling very uneasy and certainly looking over their shoulders.

"If you continue to deal in drugs and bring misery to hundreds of people, know this; you will be next, no matter how long it takes. You may think you are untouchable, think again."

Stockton Borough Council leader Bob Gibson described the raids as "a brilliant operation" which, he said, would bring joy to people in Stockton, where more than 1,000 people are receiving drugs treatment.

Councillor Ken Walker, chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, described yesterday's police raids as a landmark.

Before yesterday's arrests, 35 people had been arrested and sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison in the two years Operation Warrior has been running.