FIVE people arrested during dawn raids on suspected drug dealers in Clacton have appeared in court.

They are accused of a total of 23 charges of supplying class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine.

None of the defendants entered a plea as they appeared before Colchester Magistrates on Friday. They were all remanded in custody.

Nicola Brown, 39, and Jonathan Doyle, 41, both Dudley Road residents, were charged with multiple counts of supplying the drugs.

They made no application for bail and were ordered to return to Chelmsford Crown Court on October 25.

Mandy Whittaker, 36, of Page Road, is accused of supplying crack and heroin on four occasions.

The mother-of-one had an application for bail refused by magistrate Robert Goodenough.

Steven Root, 39, Hadleigh Road faces one charge of possession with intent to supply.

They will both appear via a video link from custody at Witham Magistrates’ Court on October 14.

James Gregoire, 41, Wellesley Road, faces charges of supplying one £10 wrap of crack cocaine.

Gregoire, known locally as ‘Pongo’, also had a bail application refused and will next appear at Witham Magistrates at 10am November 4.

Ten arrests were made in total following an operation involving undercover police work and information from residents.

Officers and sniffer dogs stormed houses across the town during a series of early morning raids on Thursday.