Four people have been arrested with a haul of illegal drugs, weapons and £10,000 in cash seized as part of a crackdown on organised crime in South Tyneside and Sunderland.
The activity comes as part of #NeighbourhoodPolicingWeek as we celebrate the amazing work of our neighbourhood teams operating across the Force area.
Officers from South Shields Neighbourhood Policing Team kick-started the week with early morning raids on Monday (January 23) at addresses in South Shields.
A warrant was executed at an address on Milner Street, where officers recovered a haul of Class A drugs, some of which was believed to be heroin.
Two men aged 25 and 57, as well as a 37-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. They have since been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
And the crackdown on criminality did not end there – with officers from Washington Neighbourhood Policing Team carrying out vehicle stops on Monday (January 23) in the area to clamp down on drug driving.
This led officers to pull over a car on Dunstanburgh Close in Oxclose and arrest a 33-year-old man on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle while unfit.
Searches carried out at an address in the Alnwick Court area linked to the suspect saw the team recover around £10,000 in cash, as well as approximately 3kg of cannabis, equipment linked to drug supply, a zombie knife and baton.
The man has since been released on police bail as enquiries continue.
Chief Inspector Neil Hall of Northumbria Police has praised neighbourhood teams for continuing to take action to tackle illegal drug supply in our communities.
He said: “This activity is just another example of the continued work being carried out across the region to tackle illegal drug supply and organised crime.
“Our neighbourhood teams know their patches inside and out – and continue to play a vital role in keeping our communities free from illicit and harmful substances.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in this week’s activity, including the public who continue to support us by passing on vital intelligence about suspected criminality in their area.
“No one wants this type of criminality happening on their doorstep and it often leads to a range of other issues – so we would urge the public to remain vigilant and report any concerns to us.
“We will continue to work with our partners to dismantle the criminal groups who try to profit from the sale and supply of illegal drugs, as well as ensuring those affected by drug addiction receive the support they need.”
If you see anyone acting suspiciously in your community, or have any information about local crime, you can report it using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on our website or by calling 101. In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.
