Twelve people have been arrested after more than 130 police officers launched a major crackdown on alleged organised crime, drug dealing and serious violence across Teesside following the A66 tragedy.
Cleveland Police carried out a series of early-morning raids under Operation Artemis, targeting addresses across the force area believed to be linked to organised crime groups.
An axe, a machete and a quantity of cash were seized during the opening stages of the operation.
The raids represent one of the largest police responses yet to the gang and drug-related violence which has come under intense scrutiny since seven people were killed in the A66 crash last month.
More Than 130 Officers Deployed
A large convoy of police cars and vans left shortly after 8am, with roads temporarily controlled to allow officers to move quickly between locations.
More than 130 officers were involved.
Among them were officers travelling in Matrix Command vehicles, including colleagues of PCs Tom Clough and Matthew Blades, the two armed response officers killed in the A66 collision.
Police targeted a number of addresses in areas including South Bank, Normanby and other parts of Teesside.
Twelve Arrested
Twelve arrests were made during the early stages of the operation.
Police also recovered an axe, a machete and cash.
Some of those being sought were wanted in connection with alleged drug dealing or serious violence, while others were identified for recall to prison or for failing to appear at court.
Superintendent Daryll Tomlinson, Redcar and Cleveland district commander, described the operation as a “relentless day of activity”.
He said teams would continue being redeployed throughout the day as warrants were executed.
“We have warrants for arrests after identifying addresses linked to drug dealing and serious violence,” he said.
Addresses Linked To Organised Crime Groups
At least five of the addresses targeted were linked by police intelligence to organised crime groups believed to be connected to offences surrounding the events which preceded the A66 crash.
Police have previously said there were significant links between the wider investigation and serious and organised criminal activity.
However, the precise role of individual suspects and groups remains subject to continuing investigation.
There has been no finding that everyone linked to the events surrounding the crash was part of an organised crime group.
Raids In South Bank And Normanby
One of the raids took place in South Bank near Middlesbrough, close to a property which had previously been rammed during the violence surrounding the period of the A66 crash.
Residents gathered nearby as officers moved into the area.
At another address on the Spencerbeck estate in Normanby, officers used an electric saw and a specialist police battering ram to remove the front door.
A police drone was deployed overhead to monitor the surrounding area in case anyone attempted to flee on foot.
The property was secured and searched, although nobody was arrested there during that stage of the operation.
A66 Crash Killed Seven
The raids come as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the fatal A66 collision.
A VW Passat containing five young men had previously been pursued by a separate police vehicle.
That pursuit had ended before the Passat entered the A66 travelling in the wrong direction.
The car then collided head-on with a marked Cleveland Police armed response vehicle travelling correctly along the dual carriageway.
All five people inside the Passat died.
They were Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Michael Robert Cahill, 23.
PCs Tom Clough, 38, and Matthew Blades, 37, who were inside the police vehicle, were also killed.
The two officers were not involved in the earlier pursuit.
Serious Crime Investigation Expanded
Police subsequently widened their investigation beyond the collision itself.
Officers have been examining a series of incidents involving vehicles, property damage, drugs and suspected organised criminal activity across areas including South Bank and Grangetown.
A Volvo XC60 had reportedly been used to ram properties in Middlesbrough before the crash, while police have previously said the Passat was associated with the wider sequence of events.
The exact motive behind those incidents and the relationships between the various people involved remain under investigation.
Police Want To Reassure Residents
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller briefed officers before Operation Artemis began.
She said the operation demonstrated what Cleveland Police could achieve when resources were brought together and urged officers to engage with communities affected by recent violence.
Police have sought to reassure residents in Grangetown, South Bank and surrounding areas following a series of high-profile incidents.
One resident watching the raids said it was good to see officers visibly operating in the area but raised concerns about whether the force had enough resources.
Police Commissioner Raises Funding Concerns
Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey has been lobbying the Government over police funding.
He has argued that Cleveland should receive a fairer share of resources distributed among the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales.
The force covers an area which has faced persistent challenges involving serious violence, drugs and organised crime.
Operation Artemis is expected to continue as officers execute further warrants and follow intelligence connected with suspected criminal networks across Teesside.
