Suspected drug dealers arrested after police find Class A's hidden in a dog bone

Three suspected drug dealers have been arrested after a haul of Class A drugs was found hidden inside a large dog bone.

Northumbria Police made the discovery after a car was spotted driving without insurance on Albion Row in Byker.

Officers went to search a nearby address thought to be connected to the driver, but when they arrived, two men started to flee through an upstairs window, which prompted a short foot chase.

After a thorough search of the property, numerous wraps of heroin and crack cocaine worth more than £3,000 were found carefully concealed inside socks and a large animal bone intended as a dog treat.

Cash, a handful of mobile phones and the car were seized and an investigation into suspected county lines drug dealing was launched.

Two Staffordshire bulldogs were also seized by police but have since been returned to their owners.

Three men all aged in their early 20’s were arrested and have since been released on bail.

Detective Constable Greg Haynes said: “We are working tirelessly to stamp out County Lines drug dealing as it is a harmful practice which exploits vulnerable people and threatens to terrorise our communities at the expense of turning a profit.

“Thanks to some swift work by our officers, an uninsured car was spotted and then pulled over, sparking a fast-paced series of enquires resulting in three arrests and a number of high-value seizures.

"Because of this activity, a quantity of highly addictive, harmful and illegal drugs were seized and instead of being sold on our streets and the profits handed to organised crime, they will be destroyed as we continue our investigation.

“Under the banner of Operation Sentinel, our dedicated initiative to tackling serious and organised crime, we will continue to work with our communities and partners to stop offenders and disrupt their illicit activity.”