POLICE in Darlington recovered almost 2,000 more Ecstasy tablets last year than in previous years.

They are now hoping their Rat on a Rat campaign will help catch even more drug dealers and recover more illegal substances.

The campaign was launched last week and aims to get the public to contact police anonymously to provide information about drug dealers in Darlington.

Any information given will be followed up by police targeting the drug trade in the town.

Sergeant Paul Robinson, of Darlington police, said: "Heroin is the most destructive drug in the area.

"It is the drug used by most of our prolific offenders. However, all drugs cause problems.

"Ecstasy is still seen as a nightclub drug and there has definitely been an increase in the amount we have seized in the past two years."

Last year, 2,388 Ecstasy tablets were recovered in Darlington compared with only 400 in 1999.

There were 22 hauls of heroin recovered in the town between April 1, 2000, and March 31, last year, 71 hauls of Ecstasy and 186 of cannabis.

Sergeant Robinson said: "We want to increase this number even further by getting people to tell us what they know about the drug scene in Darlington.

"If we can get information about drug dealers we can try to get them off the streets."

On Friday, a website was launched to make it even easier for people to pass information to the police.

Net the Rat, supported by The Northern Echo, has already had more than 50 hits and various e-mails from people wanting to pass on information to the police.

Chairman of Darlington Drugs and Alcohol Action team, Bill Dixon, said: "I am delighted with the focus that Rat on a Rat is putting on the dealers. It should be making them feel very uncomfortable.

"I want to reassure people that any information that is passed to the police through Crimestoppers or the website will be treated in confidence."

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers on (0800) 555111 or log onto www.nettherat.org