A hard-hitting police campaign against drug dealers in Middlesbrough has resulted in 430 arrests in its first year.

During the past 12 months police have carried out raids on a weekly basis as part of their Dealer a Day campaign.

There have been more than 210 convictions, and drugs with a street value of �150,000 confiscated.

Convicted dealers have been sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison, and 90 years of community service has been handed out.

Dealing chain

Acting Detective Superintendent Adrian Roberts said: "I have no compunction about tackling the dealers the way we are.

"They are wrecking communities and people's lives.

"We are still focusing on the bigger dealers higher up the chain, but we also have to tackle those lower down and deal with all levels of the problem.

Fewer burglaries

"The public see drug dealing right in their faces, and that is what this campaign is tackling."

The police say there since the campaign was launched there has been a sharp fall in the number of other crimes such as burglaries and car crime.

Police say the Dealer a Day campaign will continue, and are asking the public to contact them with any information about the drugs trade in Cleveland.