Cops bash down doors & drag suspects away in cuffs during dramatic raids across tinderbox Middlesbrough after A66 crash

COPS have smashed down doors and hauled suspects away in cuffs in a wave of dramatic raids in the wake of the fatal A66 crash. More than 100 officers swooped on homes across Middlesbrough and Redcar this morning in a major crackdown on suspected organised crime groups. Cops raid a house in South Bank as part of Operation Artemis Credit: PA Officers lead a suspect away in cuffs Credit: PA The raids come amid mounting anger and grief after a horror crash claimed the lives of two police officers and five young men. PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in the devastating collision on the A66 at South Bank in the early hours of Saturday, August 22. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Five others, named as Jakub Matusiak, Makai Saddington, Theo Rae, Michael Robert Cahill and Cole Robert Worthy, also died. The fatal smash came amid a terrifying wave of violence across the area, including house rammings, fires, a stabbing and vehicle torchings. More than 100 cops swooped on homes across Middlesbrough and Redcar Credit: PA A sniffer dog joined cops on the operation Credit: PA Police have now launched a major operation to disrupt suspected criminal networks and tackle fears of further violence. The day-long Operation Artemis raids were supported by officers from the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit. A 22-year-old woman was arrested at a property on Lancaster Road, Middlesbrough, on suspicion of links to an organised crime group. Three men and a woman were also arrested at an address on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, on suspicion of supplying a Class A drug. Most read in The Sun Officers targeted properties believed to be connected to organised crime groups, while also tackling off-road bike problems and carrying out public reassurance patrols. Superintendent Daryll Tomlinson, district commander for Redcar and Cleveland, said the force was determined to take action against criminals operating in the area. He said: “We are tackling criminals and targeting anti-social behaviour in our hotspot areas. “Officers from across the region will be joining us to take the fight back to the criminals in this area. “We executed drugs warrants, arrested people wanted on recall, and sending a clear message out to the community.” Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hall urged residents to continue sharing information about criminal activity. One man is led to the back of a police van Credit: PA Officers nick another man as part of the day-long Operation Artemis raids Credit: PA He said: “We want to continuously work with the community to understand their concerns and take action. “For those who are involved in criminality, we will find out and we will take relevant action to disrupt you. “A number of warrants have been executed. There have been a number of arrests and number of items seized. “The support from the community has been phenomenal which has been reassuring that we have the vast majority of the public on our side. “A lot of the activity taking place today is a result of community intelligence. “We couldn’t do this without the support of the local community. We want to build trust and confidence with the community.” Emergency services at the scene on the A66 in South Bank after the tragedy Credit: NNP Cops are briefed ahead of the raids Credit: PA The fresh crackdown follows a week of turmoil in and around Middlesbrough, with police deploying hundreds of officers to prevent further violence. The A66 crash occurred after a Volkswagen Passat allegedly being driven on the wrong side of the road collided head-on with a marked police vehicle. The Passat had reportedly been involved in a police pursuit after a stolen Volvo SUV rammed a house in Acklam. The five young men inside the Passat and the two officers in the police vehicle were killed in the collision. The tragedy was followed by a devastating house fire on Birchington Avenue, where seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, died. A woman was also left critically injured, while three others were hurt in the blaze. Two men, aged 23 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the fire. A caravan was also set alight nearby, while another house wall was rammed by a car in Steele Crescent, South Bank. Police subsequently arrested four men after stopping a Mercedes, where a large quantity of drugs and £15,000 in cash were allegedly seized. The arrests formed part of a wider investigation into suspected organised crime and a series of violent incidents. Three men were later charged with offences including possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, drug supply and possession of criminal property. Today’s operation is the latest attempt to disrupt suspected criminal networks and reassure communities left shaken by the events. The force said its work was being driven in part by information provided by local residents. Police have not said whether the arrests made during today’s raids are directly connected to the fatal A66 collision.