SIX people were arrested in a police strike against suspected organised criminal gangs today.

The four men and two woman detained, who age from their mid-20s to mid-30s, are from the Peterlee, Shotton Colliery and Wingate areas of east Durham.

They were arrested as part of Operation Sledgehammer, the Durham Police drive to tackle organised crime by arresting suspects and seizing criminal assets.

Officers based at Peterlee, working with trading standards officers and officials from the Environment Agency, also secured two commercial premises as part of the operation.

Five suspects were held on suspicion of being involved in illegal car dealing activity, including vehicle disposal and suspected 'crash for cash' insurance fraud.

A sixth person, a woman in her mid-20s from Wingate, was questioned on suspicion of possessing class A drugs.

All were taken to Peterlee Police Station for questioning.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jane Spraggon, the force's head of CID, said: "Operation Sledgehammer is about tackling people suspected of being involved in a network of criminal activity.

"This activity could include money laundering, drug-related crime, fraud and importing counterfeit goods.

"As well as sending out a message to criminals that we're determined to disrupt their activities, today's operation is another opportunity to remind the law-abiding public how they can play their part in dismantling criminal networks.

"We're asking people to report any suspicions.

"Most of the time it's the little things that give people away, like a top of the range car in a family where no one appears to be working.

"If someone with no obvious source of legitimate income appears to have a lavish lifestyle, let us know and we'll do the rest.

"Don't ignore it, report it."

While the suspects were being quizzed searches of various properties were continuing during the course of the day as part of the investigation.