POLICE officers attempting to rid a North-East town of its drug problems have switched tack.

Middlesbrough police's Dedicated Drugs Unit and the force's Road Policing Unit decided to try catching drug dealers in a different way as part of the ongoing Dealer A Day campaign.

Officers concentrated their efforts on catching dealers who were openly selling drugs on the streets of the town.

As a result, heroin and cannabis with a street value of £10,000 was recovered, 22 people were stopped and searched and 11 were arrested. A stolen car worth £10,000 and £2,000 in cash were also seized.

Other teams of officers continued the push by targeting drug dealers' homes, and four people were arrested in three raids.

As a result, a man and woman were bailed pending forensic results and a 40-year-old man was charged with possession of heroin. A 22-year-old man was charged with a public order offence.

Inspector Gary Gamesby, who co-ordinated the raids, said: "We will continue to search dealers' houses and also confront those dealing on the streets and from vehicles."