Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, has welcomed the news and thanked police as dozens of serious criminals across the North East of England and the wider UK have been arrested as part of the United Kingdom’s biggest ever law enforcement operation.
Operation Venetic has seen entire organised crime groups dismantled with almost 750 arrests and the seizure of £54 million of criminal cash, 77 firearms and more than two tonnes of drugs to date.
And as part of the major operation the North East Special Operations Unit has arrested 37 people, seized £1,357,495 in cash, 9 firearms and nearly 100kg of drugs, including cocaine and amphetamines.
The operation, run by the National Crime Agency (NCA) with help from police forces across the country, involved the infiltration of an encrypted global communications system used by criminals for coordinating and distributing their illegal goods.
Richard has praised the efforts of the NCA and police officers from the North East in taking criminals, weapons and drugs off our streets.
Commenting, Richard said
“The Government will be tough on crime and will always work to ensure that criminals face punishment for their crime. This major operation, which has run not just in my constituency but the rest of the country, has shown that we will not allow criminals to bring weapons and drugs to our streets. Our communities will be protected.
“I am sure people across North West Durham, the wider North East and the rest of the country will join me in thanking our police force in their part in this operation to help keep our streets and families safer from the scourge of crime.
“Of course, this is not the end of the war against crime, but it is a major success and will send the message we will continue to hunt down criminals and their gangs who are intent on making money and bringing fear to communities through their illegal activities.”
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