SIX people were being questioned last night after drugs raids by police on houses in a North-East town led to a seizure of crack cocaine.

The cocaine, with a street value of £20,000, was seized by police teams making early morning raids on homes in Billingham, Teesside, yesterday.

Other drugs taken from the area included heroin, magic mushrooms, cannabis and prescription drugs.

District support teams dressed in black and wearing protective jackets, knocked down front doors and detained householders in seven streets.

They were backed up by CID and drug search dogs. Houses and vehicles were searched, with two cars seized by officers.

Five men and a woman, believed to be aged in their 20s, were arrested and are being questioned by detectives at Stockton police station.

The simultaneous raids were launched after intelligence on major drug deals with Northumberland and County Durham links was received by police.

Acting Detective Inspector Michael Wilson said the raid, called Operation Poppy, emphasised Cleveland Police force's hard line on drug dealers.

He said: "This operation was another example of how intelligence-led policing can crack down on the people who plague the area. Drug dealers now know there is no place to hide for them in Cleveland.

"We continue to target drug dealers as part of the force policy.''

Police caught suspected dealers still in their beds, knocking down doors to give the least possible warning of their arrival.

At one address a young couple, who have a young child, had their cars stripped of a baby seat and soft toys as officers searched the insides. A machete was also found in one of the cars.

As the searches continued, shocked and scared neighbours woke to the scene, but refused to speak.

The raids were in Low Grange Avenue, Cotswold Road, Braemer Road, Newbury Road, Hatfield Road, Tenby Road and Allington Walk.