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Five people have been charged by police after string of drugs warrants were executed in Hartlepool.

Cleveland Police carried out 19 drugs warrants across the town under Operation Sentinel on March 17 and 18 arresting a total of 22 suspects.

The force has charged a 25-year-old woman with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, a 45-year-old man with supply of a controlled drug of class A, and a 52-year-old man with four counts of the same charge.

And two men aged 36 and 41 have been charged with three counts of theft. All have been bailed to appear at court at a later date.

Detective Inspector Dave Glass. Picture by Frank Reid

Early on Tuesday morning, police carried out nine warrants all at the same time in Cornwall Street, Penrhyn Street, Marlborough Street, Wensleydale Street, Kimberley Street, Charterhouse Street, Duke Street and Helmsley Street.

Officers then hit addresses in Dent Street, Wynyard Mews, Grange Road, Furness Street, Shakespeare Street and Charterhouse Street on Wednesday March 18.

The operation is in response to escalating numbers of drug related deaths in Hartlepool, and information received from the public.

Operation Sentinel is also helping vulnerable and exploited people in the drugs trade by directing them to treatment help and support.

A suspect is detained by police during a raid in Cornwall Street, Hartlepool, on Tuesday, March 17, as part of Operation Sentinel. Picture by Frank Reid

Detective Inspector Dave Glass, from the Vulnerable, Exploited, Missing and Trafficked Team (VEMT) said: “We’ve focused an operation on the Hartlepool area for two reasons.

“The first is the issues around the increasing drugs-related deaths particularly related to heroin.

“Given the concerns alongside community-based intelligence, members of the public telling us about specific problems, we’ve decided to focus on the Hartlepool area.”

He added: “It’s about us and partner agencies working together and trying to improve their (exploited and vulnerable people’s) quality of life.

“That in turn improves the drug supply problem in Hartlepool.”

Operation Sentinel is a shared commitment between Cleveland Police, Northumbria Police and Durham Constabulary to disrupt and prevent organised crime across the region.Anyone with concerns in their local area should contact Cleveland Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Five suspects charged after police execute drugs warrants in Hartlepool