Full Breakdown
Cleveland Police Launch Operation Artemis Raids in Teesside
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Early-Morning Raids Target Organised Crime
Cleveland Police, supported by the National Crime Agency, carried out coordinated early-morning raids on Monday across South Bank, Grangetown, Eston, Redcar, Ormesby and Normanby. About 130 officers arrived in a convoy of a dozen vans shortly after 08:00 BST, with roads temporarily blocked. Police used battering rams, an electric saw and a specialised “enforcer” mini-ram to gain entry, and a police-operated drone monitored the perimeter. The raids resulted in arrests on suspicion of drug supply, assault, vehicle theft and possession of weapons such as knives, batons and knuckle-dusters.
Background & Context: A66 Crash and Its Aftermath
The raids are part of “Operation Artemis,” launched after the fatal A66 crash on August 22, when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way collided with a Cleveland Police armed-response vehicle, killing PC Matthew Blades, PC Tom Clough and five young men. Intelligence gathered after the tragedy identified “precursor” offences and alleged links to organised-crime groups, prompting the current operation.
Timeline
- August 22 – A66 crash kills two officers and five young men.
- Monday – Operation Artemis raids commence; convoy departs just after 08:00 BST.
Data & Statistics
- Personnel: About 130 officers, including NCA staff.
- Arrests: Cleveland Police reported 17 arrests across four warrants; the Mirror noted 12 arrests in the early stage.
- Seizures:
- Suspected Class A and Class C drugs, cash, an axe, a machete and a knife.
- Weapons including a baton, knuckle-duster and a banned-breed dog.
- An illegal e-bike, an electric scooter, an electric-assist pedal cycle (“revvi”) and a suspected stolen construction tool.
- Properties: Four arrests at one address in Birchington Avenue, Grangetown (three men aged 37, 43 and 60, and a 58-year-old woman). Additional items recovered at a second address on Moorbeck Way, Ormesby.
Official Statements & Responses
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller briefed officers before the operation, describing the effort as a demonstration of how “small but mighty” Cleveland Police can be when working together. Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey called for additional resources and urged the government to allocate a fairer share of funding to England and Wales’ 43 police forces.
On-the-Ground Reports
Commuters and parents on the school run observed the convoy and noted road closures. A crowd gathered near a South Bank address where police forced entry, and residents reported seeing a drone hovering above a Normanby property while officers removed a front door with a mini battering ram.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The number of arrests varies between sources: Cleveland Police announced 17 arrests, whereas the Mirror reported 12 arrests in the early stages. The discrepancy has not been clarified, and no further details have been released regarding the identities of those detained or the legal outcomes of the seizures.
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The Operation Artemis raids represent the most extensive organised-crime crackdown in the Cleveland force area to date, directly linked to the A66 crash that claimed the lives of two police officers and five young men. The scale of the operation and the range of seized items underscore the force’s intent to disrupt the criminal networks believed to have precipitated the tragedy.