THREE people have been arrested after co-ordinated raids were carried out by police investigating a suspected organised crime group.

Breakfast-time raids were carried out at four houses in Milton Grove, Dene Crescent and Brackenhill Avenue in Shotton Colliery, County Durham and a further home in Redmarshall, Stockton on Tees.

Two men, aged 46 and 55 from Shotton as well as a 55 year-old woman from Stockton, were arrested for offences including conspiracy to supply cocaine, money laundering and mortgage fraud.

The operation follows raids carried out in Shotton Colliery in September and centres on an ongoing covert investigation into the supply of class 'A' drugs, mortgage fraud and money laundering across East Durham.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Graham Brown, who led yesterday’s raids, said: "We are targeting criminal groups throughout our force area and taking on community concerns, which are helping us look at the right people.

"Today's operation has taken place as a result of information from the community.

"This investigation demonstrates the force's commitment to tackling high level criminals who live a lavish lifestyle through criminal enterprise."

Those arrested were taken to police stations in the north Durham area for questioning.

Three men and a woman were arrested during the raids in September.

One man, a 46-year-old from Thornley, has already been charged with possession of class A drugs with intent to supply and has been remanded in custody pending further court hearings.