Thousands of pounds worth of illegal drugs and suspected counterfeit sunglasses have been seized after dawn raids were carried out in Sunderland.
Officers from Northumbria Police raided a property on South Terrace, Southwick, on May 13 after they were tipped off by a member of the community.
They gained access to the empty address and found heroin, amphetamine and 4,000 Pregablin tablets.
In another room they seized a huge stash of sunglasses and lipstick, which are suspected to be counterfeit.
A 40-year-old man has since been interviewed under caution and enquiries are ongoing.
Sergeant Sally College, who oversaw the execution of the warrant, said: “We searched this address following concerns raised by the local community about suspected criminality in the area.
“Sometimes that kind of information can lead to nothing, but on this occasion we were able to make significant seizures and take both illegal drugs and suspected counterfeit products off the streets.
“We have no doubt that these drugs would have been destined for the streets of Sunderland.
“We are also pleased to have seized hundreds of suspected counterfeit goods from inside the address. Some people may think the selling of counterfeit goods is a victimless crime, but quite often they can be a product of organised crime.
“Groups often supply them into the region with the sole intention of making money – which in turn enables them to continue to fund illicit activities.
“These seizures show our commitment to tackling organised crime and this type of disruption, by working with all our partners, will continue under the banner of Operation Sentinel.”
Anyone who wants to report suspicious behaviour, or has any information about organised crime, can do so by calling police on 101 or by using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on the Northumbria Police website.
Alternatively, contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
