Firearms, drugs and thousands in cash are among the items seized by Humberside Police!

Firearms, drugs and thousands of pounds in cash are among the items seized by Humberside Police across the area, as part of phase one of Operation Shield.

The force has made 376 arrests across Grimsby, Hull and surrounding areas as part of their crackdown on criminal gangs. Humberside Police have praised the intensified period of action as a ‘huge success’ and are getting ready to gear up for phase two.

In total, the police have carried out 55 warrants in drug hotspots, where huge cannabis grows and stashes of class A drugs have been uncovered. The drugs seized have amounted to thousands of pounds, along with associated equipment and weapons, which have included guns and machete-type knives.

Officers have also seized vehicles, thousands in cash, designer clothing, jewellery and watches worth in excess of £25,000, and GPS devices worth over £200,000. Launched covertly on Monday, September 11, Operation Shield brought together officers from different departments and specialist commands over five weeks to ‘disrupt and deter criminals from every angle’.

From a huge 55 warrants, 376 people have been arrested, 125 charged, and 98 of those criminals have been remanded. Traffic officers also handed out 11 traffic offence reports, where they swooped in on drivers who might be driving without a seatbelt, using their phone or driving dangerously. Team members also worked with officers on the ground to hunt suspects involved in organised crime and other serious offences.

A spokesperson for Humberside Police said: “The work doesn’t stop there, Tuesday will see the start of phase two, so stay tuned to find out what more is being done to pursue and target criminals who bring distress and harm to our communities, and ultimately “make the lives of criminals difficult and uncomfortable.”

“We would always encourage you to report any offences to us so we can build the bigger picture and take action. We are committed as a force to keeping our communities safe and the work being done as part of this operation will have a long-term impact for the people that live in, visit and work in the Humberside area.

“You can provide information to us via our non-emergency number 101 or anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”