Cleveland Police launched a major series of early morning raids across the region on Monday, marking a significant escalation in the force’s crackdown on drug dealing and organized crime.
The coordinated effort, dubbed Operation Artemis, saw over 130 officers descend on properties across Redcar, South Bank, and Grangetown. The tactical operation, which began shortly after 8:00 a.m. following a briefing from Chief Constable Victoria Fuller, follows a period of heightened police activity in the wake of the devastating collision on the A66 on August 22. That tragedy, which claimed the lives of two police officers—PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38—along with five young men traveling in a vehicle headed the wrong way on the carriageway, has intensified the force’s resolve to combat criminal activity in the area.
By Monday afternoon, police confirmed the execution of four successful warrants and the arrest of 17 individuals for a variety of serious offences, including drug supply and the theft of motor vehicles.
“This is a relentless day of activity,” said Supt Daryll Tomlinson, the Redcar and Cleveland district commander. “Teams will be redeployed following tours of duty throughout the day. We have warrants for arrests after identifying addresses linked to drug dealing and serious violence.”
The raids yielded a significant haul of illegal items. At a property on Birchington Avenue in Grangetown, officers arrested four people—three men aged 37, 43, and 60, and a 58-year-old woman—on suspicion of drug supply offences. During the search, police recovered a quantity of suspected Class A drugs, cash, and a dog believed to be a banned breed.
Simultaneously, a raid at a property in Moorbeck Way, Ormesby, resulted in the seizure of a cache of weapons, including a knife, a baton, and a knuckle duster, alongside suspected Class C drugs. Across the various targeted addresses, officers also confiscated an array of illicit equipment, including an illegal e-bike, an electric scooter, an electric-assisted “revvi” bike, and a suspected stolen wacker plate construction tool.
Addressing the personnel before the operation, Chief Constable Fuller praised the collective effort of the force, highlighting how the “small but mighty” team remains effective when working in unison.
The operation remains ongoing as Cleveland Police continue to act on intelligence regarding criminal networks operating within the community. Authorities have urged residents to continue reporting suspicious activity as the force maintains its high-visibility presence across the region.
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