A 17-YEAR-OLD boy was among a number of suspects arrested during a morning of raids on Teesside.

On Monday, officers in Stockton executed targeted raids at houses on Tilery Road, Newton Walk, Cranbourne Terrace and Edwards Street.

At around 10am, officers from teams across Cleveland Police, and staff from the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Special Operations Unit, were mobilised in the major crackdown on serious crime.

The Northern Echo: Police were at the scene searching for evidence Picture: JIM SCOTTPolice were at the scene searching for evidence Picture: JIM SCOTT

Part of Operation Sentinel, which was launched last year as a strategy to tackle serious and organised crime across Teesside, the raids were carried out to identify the whereabouts of suspects and collect evidence.

At one address, a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of drugs-related offences, while a 35-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possesion with intent to supply Class B drugs, Cannabis.

Elsewhere, a 33-year-old man, wanted on suspicion of criminal damage was arrested, while a 48-year-old was arrested for possession of a Class A drug, suspected Heroin. 

Earlier this month, more than £260,000 worth of Cannabis was seized in a drugs raid on Hartington Street.

The Cannabis had been discovered during a drugs raid on Wednesday, December 5, resulting in the arrest and charge of four men. 

The Northern Echo: Two suspects were arrested near Hartington Street in Stockton Picture: JIM SCOTTTwo suspects were arrested near Hartington Street in Stockton Picture: JIM SCOTT

Detective Chief Inspector Daryll Tomlinson of the force said: “Today’s activity sends a strong message that we are taking proactive steps to tackle organised criminality wherever it is identified in order to protect our communities.

“My message to those who think they can get away with targeting the communities we serve, is that we will do everything in our power to stop you in your tracks and bring you to justice.

“I urge people with information on drug dealing and associated crime in their neighbourhood to contact police.”

The Northern Echo: Jon Willoughby, Neighbourhood Inspector at Cleveland Police Picture: JIM SCOTTJon Willoughby, Neighbourhood Inspector at Cleveland Police Picture: JIM SCOTT

Speaking after Monday's raids in Stockton, Jon Willoughby, neighbourhood inspector at Cleveland Police, told The Northern Echo that the force relied on members of the public to report drugs-related activity.

He said: "We've taken part in a series of drugs warrants that have been executed at premises that have been identified to ourselves and by ourselves in Stockton.

"Part of our drive is to get drugs off the streets within Stockton and Cleveland as a whole, but we need to get the public working with us to do that.

"I encourage the public to keep feeding us intelligence directly to the police or via Crimestoppers as it's important that they feed us as much information and intelligence as possible to give us a good picture, so that we know where those drugs are being dealt and community concerns raised to us can be acted upon."

  • To report a crime or drugs-related incident contact Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555111.