Cleveland Police held week-long crackdown on organised crime

Almost £500,000 worth of cannabis was recovered as Cleveland Police carried out a series of co-ordinated raids targeting addresses across the force area as they continue their battle against drug-related crime.

Officers were looking for evidence of drug dealing; county lines operations; victims of modern-day slavery and human trafficking; child online sexual exploitation; fraud and cyber security attacks.

Each day they focussed on a different area of the force where a number of warrants were executed, drugs and weapons seized, and suspects arrested.

Read more: Tackling the problem of 'Albanian gangsters' and cannabis farms in the North East

Superintendent Chris Downes said: “Serious organised crime can involve exploitation of vulnerable people, use of weapons and firearms, intimidation, bribery and corruption.

“Those at the top of these criminal gangs are making money out of the misery of others, but by working closely with communities and building intelligence, we can disrupt and dismantle these organised crime groups, arrest those responsible and seek justice for the vulnerable people they prey on.”

Cannabis plants found in Hartlepool house by Cleveland Police (Image: Graeme Hetherington, The Northern Echo)

Dozens of officers, including members of the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit, were drafted in to carry out the raids in the Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool, and Redcar and Cleveland districts.

Action included executing warrants on premises involved in the production and supply of drugs linked to organised crime gangs.

The teams were targeting individuals suspected to be exploiting juveniles and involvement in County Lines drug supplies; warrants to arrest wanted people associated with organised crime gangs; and closure orders on properties associated with organised crime, drug supply and antisocial behaviour in the area.

Superintendent Chris Downes of Cleveland Police (Image: Graeme Hetherington, The Northern Echo)

On Monday, three people were arrested after they were reportedly ‘cuckooing’ a vulnerable man in Stockton when they took over his home to deal drugs.

Cuckooing is a form of crime in which drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person in order to use it as a base for drugs activity.

Housing group Thirteen worked alongside police to arrest two men aged 29 and 39 and one female aged 37 on suspicion of possessing with intent to supply class A drugs.

The two males and female have been released with bail conditions pending enquiries and the male victim has been safeguarded.

'Rambo' style knife seized during drug raid in Netherfield area of Middlesbrough (Image: Graeme Hetherington, The Northern Echo)

A raid on a flat in the Netherfield area of Middlesbrough revealed a vulnerable man living without heating or lighting and evidence that his home had been used as a drugs den.

Officers recovered a large ‘Rambo’ knife from the flat and a safeguarding team were brought in to look at the welfare of his young children.

​Three cannabis farms were discovered and dismantled in Stephen Street, Cornwall Street and Mitchell Street.  Crops seized from Stephen Street were valued at around £88,000, cannabis was recovered from Cornwall Street worth £116,000 and a large cannabis farm was seized from Mitchell Street, worth £284,000.

Drugs and cash seized by Cleveland Police (Image: Cleveland Police)

One 25-year-old man was arrested at the address in Cornwall Street and has now been charged with production of cannabis. The male was also wanted for immigration offences.

Another 25-year-old man was arrested at the address in Dent Street and has since been charged with production of cannabis.  The male was also wanted by Kent Police and has also been charged with production of cannabis in connection with this.

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Three victims of modern-day slavery were found during the raid on a property in Mitchell Street, along with the large-scale cannabis production set up.  They were all safeguarded by Cleveland Police’s Complex Exploitation Team.

Inspector Zoe Kelsey said: “Hartlepool Neighbourhood Policing Team will continue the fight against organised crime in Hartlepool and will not stop until we drive these criminals out of our town.

“We rescued three people from Modern Day Slavery during this operation and seized almost half a million pounds worth of drugs, hitting these criminals where it hurts them most, their pockets.”