A CAMPAIGN to stop 'drugs tourism' in Teesside has won support.

Dave McLuckie, lead member for community safety for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, has backed a petition calling for the Government to clamp down on landlords allowing their property to be used by drugs dealers, many from London and the South-East.

The petition was organised by Ken Walker, Middlesbrough councillor and chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority, after it was revealed Cleveland has one of the country's worst drugs problems.

Coun Walker has also written to Home Secretary David Blunkett and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott asking that landlords' homes be confiscated if they are found to have allowed drug dealing.

He said that in recent police raids the majority of those arrested were from London and the Home Counties. It is feared criminals are being attracted to Teesside by low housing and rent costs.

Dave McLuckie, who is also a member of the Police Authority, said: "I wholeheartedly support this initiative because the issue of 'drug tourists' is something which affects the whole of the Cleveland Force area.

"It is clear that some landlords are willing to rent properties with no questions asked and I fear that the problem may be made worse by absentee landlords, who actually own properties but have no direct interest or knowledge in them beyond pocketing the rent."

Coun Walker said: "I have been greatly heartened by the strong support I have received from Coun McLuckie. This I an issue that all of us in the Cleveland Force area should be speaking with one voice.