HEROIN worth £100,000 has been seized, and 11 people arrested, after an operation to crack a drugs ring described as "the biggest in the North-East".

A six-month operation, code named Operation Pelican, ended yesterday in a series of dawn raids at nine addresses on Teesside.

In the swoop, based on intelligence provided by the public, seven men and four women were arrested and taken to police stations throughout the borough.

Last night, they were being questioned over a range of drugs offences.

The operation, which involved 80 uniformed and plain clothes officers, ranged as far north as Tyneside, through Durham and Teesside, and deep into North Yorkshire.

Detective Inspector Neil Fox, of Cleveland Police, said the drugs network had stretched over a wide area.

He said: "Our operation targeted an organisation that dealt in high grade heroin with many dealers throughout the region.

"We hope the successful raids send a message home to those who deal in death and despair that such intelligence-led operations will continue without let up."

Yesterday's raids were led by Cleveland's organised crime unit, and marked the final stage of the operation in which the haul of heroin had already been recovered.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jeff Evans said he could not reveal earlier details, but emphasised the importance of the end result.

He said: "Although searches have yet to be completed we are hopeful that we will reach a successful conclusion.

"We receive information from the public on a daily basis and they expect an immediate reaction. This is not always possible, as we need an awful lot of time to put things together.

"It will now take time to put the case before court, but we are making a concerted effort, over the long term, to arrest more and more people involved in the drugs trade."

While Det Ch Supt Evans admitted that heroin was a major problem in the region, with many organised drugs rings in operation, he said the latest raids had inflicted a major blow.

"In the short term, we hope that this will have a big impact," he said. "Now we will be directing our energies at the next group of people."