Cleveland Police Conduct Early Morning Raids Targeting Organised Crime
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Cleveland Police have carried out a series of early morning raids targeting those suspected of being involved in organised crime. Cleveland Police stated that 17 people were arrested during the operation, involving approximately 130 officers, including some from the National Crime Agency, across South Bank, Grangetown, and Eston, near Middlesbrough, on Monday.
This action comes as part of a high-profile response to a crash on the nearby A66 last month, which occurred at the end of a police pursuit and left two officers dead. Five other individuals also lost their lives when their Volkswagen Passat entered the wrong lane and collided with a Cleveland Police armed response vehicle.
The raids resulted in arrests for various offences, including drugs and assault. A convoy of approximately a dozen vans initiated the operation at around 08:00 BST, temporarily blocking roads with patrol cars. Officers utilised battering rams to gain entry to several properties while parents dropped off their children at school.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hall praised the public support following the crash, noting that criminality is not welcome in these communities and that officers will take action accordingly.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, along with all five occupants of the Passat, died at the scene. Cleveland's Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey emphasised the importance of seeing officers on the streets, demonstrating to the public that those responsible for crime are being targeted and removed from the streets.