Three more arrests have been made by Cleveland Police as part of a wider operation against organised crime. This follows a head-on car crash on the A66 on 22 August, which resulted in the deaths of two police officers and five young people.
Two of the arrested men, aged 19 and 24, were detained after a vehicle ramming incident in Derwentwater Road, near Middlesbrough, on Sunday at approximately 23:00 BST. They are being questioned on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
An 18-year-old man, arrested in connection with another suspected motoring offence in Middlesbrough, has been charged with dangerous driving. He appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Monday and was remanded in custody.
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox stated that these arrests "would not be the last" as the force continues its efforts against crime in the wake of the A66 collision. The crash involved a Volkswagen Passat, which officers had been pursuing, colliding with a marked armed response car, killing PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, along with the five male occupants of the Passat, aged between 17 and 23.