17 ARRESTED AS POLICE LAUNCH MAJOR MIDDLESBROUGH RAIDS AFTER DEADLY A66 CRASH

More than 100 police officers have descended on Middlesbrough and surrounding areas in a major crackdown on suspected organised crime, with 17 people arrested during a series of early-morning raids.

The large-scale operation, dubbed Operation Artemis, saw officers target properties across Redcar, South Bank, Grangetown and surrounding areas on Monday, September 21.

The raids come less than a month after the devastating A66 crash that claimed the lives of two police officers and five young men.

However, police have not confirmed that the latest arrests are directly connected to the fatal collision.

17 PEOPLE ARRESTED

Cleveland Police said four warrants had been executed during Monday’s operation, with 17 people arrested for offences including suspected drug supply and theft of a motor vehicle.

Officers seized suspected Class A and Class C drugs, cash, weapons and a number of vehicles and other items.

Among the items recovered were:

• A knife
• A baton
• A knuckle duster
• An illegal e-bike
• An electric scooter
• An electric-assisted pedal cycle, known as a “revvi”
• A suspected stolen construction tool

A dog believed to be a banned breed was also seized during one of the searches.

At a property on Birchington Avenue in Grangetown, four people were arrested on suspicion of drugs supply offences.

They included three men aged 37, 43 and 60 and a 58-year-old woman.

Police said suspected Class A drugs and cash were recovered from the address.

At another property on Moorbeck Way in Ormesby, officers recovered a knife, baton and knuckle duster, along with suspected Class C drugs.

OPERATION FOLLOWS A66 TRAGEDY

The police operation comes against the backdrop of one of the most serious incidents to hit the area this year.

On August 22, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the A66 collided with their marked armed-response vehicle.

The five people travelling in the Passat also died.

They were named as Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jacob Matusiak, 23.

The tragedy followed a police pursuit involving the Passat and came amid wider concerns about suspected organised criminal activity in the area.

Earlier investigations resulted in additional arrests over suspected organised crime, weapons and drug offences.

Police have said some of those involved in the fatal crash had links to serious and organised criminal activity.

POLICE TARGET ORGANised CRIME

Operation Artemis is part of a broader effort to disrupt suspected criminal networks operating across Teesside.

More than 100 officers took part in Monday’s activity, with support from the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit, according to reports.

Police said the operation was also aimed at addressing anti-social behaviour and problems involving off-road bikes, while providing reassurance to communities affected by recent violence.

Cleveland Police said intelligence supplied by local residents had played an important role in identifying areas and individuals for further investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hall urged people to continue sharing information about suspected criminal activity.

He said community information was helping officers understand local concerns and take action against those involved in crime.

A COMMUNITY STILL SHAKEN

The latest police crackdown comes after a period of intense concern across parts of Middlesbrough and Redcar.

The fatal A66 collision was followed by further incidents involving suspected criminal activity, including fires, vehicle attacks and arrests.

The wider police response has involved hundreds of officers and multiple investigations.

The latest raids are intended to disrupt suspected criminal networks and reassure residents that police activity will continue in areas affected by violence and organised crime.

But investigators have been careful not to suggest that every incident in the area is part of a single investigation.

In particular, there has been no confirmation that the 17 people arrested during Operation Artemis were directly involved in the A66 crash.

“WE WILL TAKE RELEVANT ACTION”

Superintendent Daryll Tomlinson, district commander for Redcar and Cleveland, said police were determined to target people involved in criminality and anti-social behaviour.

The force said the operation was designed to send a message that officers would continue pursuing suspected criminals while working with communities to identify emerging problems.

Police also said the support of local residents had been significant.

For the families of the seven people killed on the A66, however, the latest operation comes as the community continues to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy.

The deaths of PC Blades and PC Clough have prompted widespread tributes from colleagues, friends and members of the public, while the five young men who died in the Passat have also been mourned by their families.

The wider criminal investigations remain ongoing.

For now, Operation Artemis represents a separate major police effort targeting suspected drug dealing, organised crime and associated offences across the region — while investigators continue to deal with the continuing fallout from the deadly A66 collision.