THIRTEEN people were arrested during a major blitz to tackle rural and cross-border crime.

More than 80 vehicles were stop-checked during a 12-crackdown by the North Yorkshire force as part of their continuing Operation Hawk initiative.

Dozens of officers took to the roads in the Ryedale and Scarborough areas from 3pm on Thursday, February 12, to 3am today, February 13.

The patrols stopped and checked 83 vehicles, issued eight fixed penalty notices and a cannabis warning and seized one uninsured vehicle.

Drugs and cash were also recovered as a series of warrants were executed across the area.

In total, Operation Hawk officers made 13 arrests and intelligence on rural crime was also shared with local Watch volunteers.

The force claims Operation Hawk is showing positive results and points there were 5,709 incidents of rural crime in the county in 2014, down from 6,341 in 2013.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy said: “We launched Operation Hawk to send a clear message to travelling criminals – if you come to North Yorkshire to commit crime, we will catch you.

“Our area is one of the safest places in the country, and we are determined to keep it that way – so we will keep up the tough stance shown by Operation Hawk.”

He added: “Rural communities can be reassured that these operations will continue until travelling criminals get the message that they are not welcome in North Yorkshire.”