Cleveland Police have arrested 12 people on suspicion of firearms and organised crime offences as part of their investigation into the A66 crash that killed seven people, including two police officers.
The force confirmed the detentions in an update on the criminal inquiry following the wrong-way collision in South Bank during the early hours of Saturday 22 August. Seven lives were lost in total, including PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, who died when the marked armed response vehicle they were travelling in was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the wrong direction.
Five Passat occupants also died
Five occupants inside the Passat also died at the scene. They were Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jakub Matusiak.
Police said that on Saturday 22 August they received multiple reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously. The first vehicle, believed to be a Volvo XC60, was observed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is thought to have been connected with the activities of the Volvo XC60.
Cloned plates and arrests
Both vehicles were operating with cloned registration plates to evade detection but were identified by the force's automated number plate recognition technology, Cleveland Police stated. Investigations conducted over the weekend, assisted by officers from Durham, Northumbria and North Yorkshire police forces, resulted in the detention of 12 individuals across Teesside.
Nine men and three women, ranging in age from 19 to 61, have been held on suspicion of various offences. The charges span from firearm possession to involvement in organised crime group activities. Cleveland Police also stated that, at present, there is no evidence suggesting that recording of the events occurring on Friday evening and Saturday morning was undertaken for TikTok purposes. It has further been revealed that four of the Passat's passengers held prior criminal convictions.
Assistant Chief Constable's response
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, overseeing the strategic direction of the inquiry, said: "This has been a fast moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity.
"The events of that tragic night will have a lasting and profound impact on the Cleveland area and the communities we seek to protect. We have a duty to respond to, and thoroughly investigate, the serious criminal activity that resulted in this fatal incident, and to bring all those responsible to justice."
He added: "Our robust response will continue in the weeks and months to come, as we continue to tackle those that seek to cause harm to our communities and tackle serious and organised crime. Officers and staff across Cleveland have shown incredible resilience in continuing their work in the face of tragedy.
"Two of their colleagues lost their lives while serving the people of Cleveland and, while the impact will be felt by our people for a long time to come, they have continued to act with the upmost professionalism. I am also extremely grateful for the support we have received, and continue to receive, from the public of Cleveland and our wider police family."
Vehicle recovered and tributes
The Volvo XC60 connected to the initial reports has since been located and recovered in Middlesbrough as part of the ongoing criminal investigation. Heartfelt tributes have been paid to the two officers who tragically lost their lives in the collision, as more than £460,000 has been raised to support their families.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct previously revealed that Cleveland Police initiated a pursuit after receiving intelligence relating to "numerous incidents" linked to a Passat. PC Blades and PC Clough had no involvement in the original pursuit, but had been deployed to the area to assist in the search for the Passat.
An armed response vehicle chased the Passat for just under seven minutes before the car entered the A66 in South Bank travelling against the traffic flow. Officers abandoned the pursuit and proceeded to drive on the correct side of the carriageway. The Passat collided with PC Blades and PC Clough's vehicle approximately 10 seconds after the chase was terminated.
