Five arrests made after early-morning raids see Northumbria Police officers seize drugs and money

Officers from Northumbria Police’s Neighbourhood Support Team executed early morning raids at two Hetton addresses, the force confirmed in a statement on Friday, November 11.

At a property on Richard Street, officers recovered £4,000 in cash as well as £750 of suspected heroin. A 41-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. They have since been released on police bail as inquiries continue.

Then at a second address, on Lindsey Street, police recovered £4,000 in cash – as well as £250 worth of cannabis and £2,000 in counterfeit notes, which was seized. Two men – aged 20 and 22 – were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs. A woman – aged 25 – was also arrested on suspicion of money laundering. All three have since been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Detective Inspector Lee Underwood of Northumbria Police said: “These warrants are just another example of the continued work being carried out across the region to tackle illegal drug supply and organised crime. We hope that this activity shows the public how dedicated we are to keeping our communities free from illicit and harmful substances.

“I would like to thank everyone involved who helped execute the warrants, including the public who continue to support us by passing on vital intelligence about suspected criminality in their area. No one wants this type of criminality happening on their doorstep and it often leads to a range of other issues – so we would urge the public to remain vigilant and report any concerns to us.”

He added: “We will continue to work with our partners to dismantle the criminal groups who try to profit from the sale and supply of illegal drugs, as well as ensuring those affected by drug addiction receive the support they need.”

The raids took place over Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6.

Members of the public can report a crime on the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the force website or by calling 101.