Organised crime crackdown in North East sees 36 arrests and drugs and weapons seized

On Tuesday, June 17 and across three days, officers executed a series of warrants at a number of addresses in Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside.

Once inside the premises, searches were carried out and a haul of illegal substances were seized, including 10 kilos of cannabis, 2.5 kilos of cocaine, 80 ecstasy tablets and a number of steroids.

Offensive weapons were seized, including zombie knives, extendable batons, machetes, and knuckledusters. Officers recovered £150k in cash, several off-road and electric bikes, and five unregistered XL Bully dogs.

The activity was carried out under Operation Peterborough – part of a force wide clampdown on serious and organised crime, focusing on the importation of illegal cannabis at our borders using the postal system.

Criminals use postal services to import illicit substances into the UK, exploiting rapid delivery and false sender details to avoid detection.

Police monitor suspicious packages as part of efforts to disrupt drug supply networks and urge the public to report unusual deliveries or unknown senders to help tackle this crime.

24 men, aged between 18 and 57, and 12 women, aged between 23 and 63, were arrested. All have been released on bail pending further investigation.

The raids were co-ordinated by Northumbria Police with the support of the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) and the National Crime Agency (NCA).

DCI Marc Michael of Northumbria Police said: “Organised crime can devastate communities. It is fuelled by greed, sustained by fear and leaves behind a trail of violence, exploitation, and shattered lives. Disruption of these criminal networks is crucial in keeping our communities safe.

“It is vital that we continue our work so those groups involved in this criminality can no longer operate. We will continue to do all we can to identify suspects and bring anyone found responsible to justice.”

DCI Marc Michael urged anyone with information to target this type of criminality to come forward, and reminded the public they can completely anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers, either by contacting their website or calling 0800 555 111.

He added: “We want to be clear. This activity will continue across our force area – and we make no apologies for our stance towards tackling this type of criminality.”

Cllr Adam Walker, Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet member for adult social care, health and prevention, said: “Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the UK, but the public often underestimate its risk and the serious harm it can cause.

“Smoking cannabis can impact both mental and physical health – whether its an increased risk of lung conditions, psychotic disorders, neurological damage or impaired brain development – and that’s particularly true for frequent users or those using high-potency strains.

“Therefore, reducing cannabis use and targeting the criminals who would seek to bring it into our communities can only be a positive for families and relationships."