Operation Artemis
Find out more about today's Operation Artemis activity.
This month's Operation Artemis kicked off early this morning with officers across the force focusing on the disruption of serious and organised crime in Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland, working with local partners to safeguard and protect our communities from harm.
Ten warrants have been executed across Teesside this morning – at addresses in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar. Simultaneously raids were carried out in Durham and Greater Manchester.
Seven people have been arrested in total this morning; men aged 39 and 25, and a 29-year-old woman from Redcar, a 32-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman from Middlesbrough, a 36-year-old man from Thornaby and a 42-year-old man from Manchester.
All were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and money laundering offences.
The warrants were the result of a long running investigation – codenamed Operation Apex – into the large-scale supply of controlled drugs being run by an organised crime group based in Teesside, with links to County Durham and the Greater Manchester area.
So far today cash, drugs and weapons have been seized during raids across Teesside, County Durham and Greater Manchester.
Detectives also searched a container in Westerby Road in Middlesbrough, believed to be linked to the crime network.
Detective Chief Superintendent Anne-Marie Salwey, Cleveland Police's Head of Crime, said: "This morning's strike focused on a singular organised crime group believed to be supplying cocaine throughout Teesside, as well as Durham and the North-West.
"The results stem from months of hard work driven and proactive investigation into the drugs network operating from Teesside.
"This reflects our continued commitment to our communities that we will relentlessly pursue any individual who we believe are profiting from the sale of drugs, exploiting vulnerable people including children, and partaking in serious violence along the way."
Our four district commanders, responsible for policing in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland, have spoken about Operation Artemis activity happening across our patch.
To listen to the district commander's video for your area, click on the relevant image below:
Superintendent Emily Harrison, District Commander for Redcar and Cleveland.
Superintendent John Wrintmore, District Commander for Stockton.
Superintendent Marc Anderson, District Commander for Middlesbrough.
Superintendent Martin Hopps, District Commander for Hartlepool.
Officers executed a drugs warrant this afternoon at a property in Ayton Drive, in Redcar as part of Operation Artemis.
The warrant was obtained after receiving intelligence from the community.
Trading Standards, supported by Cleveland Police officers, executed a warrant at a shop and a property on Station Road in Norton. Around two hundred illegal vapes were seized.
Vapes can often be offered as rewards or 'gifts' by organised crime gangs to exploit and groom vulnerable children.
Together with Middlesbrough Council, Age UK, Citizen’s Advice and Safer Communities, Cleveland Police’s Cyber Protect & Prepare Officer, Kelly Close, attended Middlesbrough Seniors Together at North Ormesby Hub to discuss how to safeguard older people in the community from fraud and cyber-crime. 
In 2024 there are more than 17 billion internet connected devices in the world and organised criminal gangs are making use of this technology to gain access to victims that previously would have been inaccessible.
Fraud and cyber-crime are now the highest risk areas to members of the public, with older people becoming victims of fraud every 40 seconds.
Kelly talked about what the potential risk areas are, and provided advice on how older people can safeguard themselves by creating strong passwords and how to utilise secondary security and set alerts for when their personal information is leaked online.
Those who attended will spread the message among their wider communities to help to protect the vulnerable.
A 57-year-old man has been arrested at an address on Broadway in Grangetown, on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs. He is currently in police custody being questioned by officers.
Officers carried out plain clothed patrols as part of Operation Artemis this afternoon, targeting suspected class A drug dealing in the Park Road North and Linthorpe Road area of Middlesbrough.
Working alongside the Victims Care and Advice Service professional witnesses, plain clothed officers on bikes patrolled the area.
One man was chased on foot by officers arrested on a prison recall, whilst a 45-year-old was stop searched in Ayresome Gardens. He was taken to Middlesbrough Police Station where he was searched and class C drugs were recovered. He was referred to the DIVERT scheme.