Eleven arrested in dawn drug raids across Darlington

The operation involved more than 100 officers at various addresses in the town, with colleagues in Cumbria arresting another two people.

Eleven men - nine from Darlington and two from Cockermouth - and two women both from Darlington were arrested during Operation Bognor and taken to police stations in Darlington and Peterlee to be questioned.

The raids took place at homes in Borough Road, Hollyhurst Road, Sanderson Street, Witton Crescent, Roseberry Street, Outram Street, Lansdowne Street, Station Road and Hargreave Terrace.

Chief Inspector Chris Reeves said the operation took months to plan following intelligence from the public and surveillance. He said it was designed to wipe out street-level drug dealing.

Chief Insp Reeves added: “The operation has been made possible as a result of strong support from local people who have expressed concerns about drug dealing and helped us build a fuller picture of the situation.

“Our message to those who deal in drugs, the effects of which can blight our communities, is that their activities will not be tolerated. Local people can be reassured we will continue to take positive action against drug dealers and any information given to us by the public regarding such activity will put to good use.”

Police community support officers were also deployed in the areas where the raids took place to speak to residents afterwards.

Those arrested in Darlington included a 43-year-old man from Borough Road, a 37-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man in Hollyhurst Road, a 37-year-old man from Sanderson Street, a 36-year-old man in Witton Crescent, a 30-year-old man in Roseberry Street, a 44-year-old man from Outram Street, a 37-year-old man and a 32-year-old man in Lansdowne Street, a 45-year-old man from Station Road and a 32-year-old woman in Hargreave Terrace. Two men, aged 47 and 44, were arrested at a house in Windmill Lane, Cockermouth, Cumbria.