Bradford to Harrogate county lines drugs: two men arrested

Two men have been arrested as part of a major police investigation into the supply of drugs from Bradford into Harrogate.

It brings the total number of arrests under Operation Jackal, the name give to the initiative, to 19.

North Yorkshire Police revealed today officers from its organised crime unit and West Yorkshire Police arrested the men aged 26 and 23 in Bradford on Wednesday.

A police statement said:

“Both men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, human trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act and money laundering.

“Officers also seized a number of mobile phones and sim cards as part of their enquiries. The two men have been released on conditional bail while further enquiries are carried out.”

The arrests follow 11 made in Harrogate and six in Bradford in February as part of Operation Jackal.

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North Yorkshire Police has also taken civil action to take down three phone lines operating between Bradford and Harrogate, which were believed to be part of county lines drug dealing.

The force successfully obtained three drug dealing telecommunications restriction orders, which allowed officers to take over a phone line and give them powers to disconnect it on a specified date and time.

The police statement said:

“These valuable, protected and often branded phone lines allow out-of-town heroin and cocaine dealers to send mass text messages advertising their drugs for sale and when and where they can be picked up.

“Taking them out means no adverts, no sales and no profit for drug dealers.”

Eighteen suspects remain under investigation. One has been released with no further action taken. The investigation continues.

Police appeal for help finding wanted Harrogate man

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for help to find wanted Harrogate man Daniel Prague.

The police issued the appeal yesterday to locate Mr Prague, 19, who is wanted on suspicion of burglary.

Last year he was jailed for a £1.3m burglary on a home in Weeton.

According to the police, Mr Prague has links to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Leeds.

If you have any information, you can help the police by calling 101 quoting ref: 12200200467. If you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Yorkshire Ripper case ‘fundamentally changed’ policing, says former top cop

The case of the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe changed the way police forces tackle major incidents, says a former senior North Yorkshire police officer.

Dai Malyn, who this year retired from his position as detective superintendent, oversaw the homicide investigations team for North Yorkshire and Cleveland and said the Ripper case saw “fundamental” changes for police forces across the country.

Sutcliffe, who has died at the age of 74, murdered 13 women across West Yorkshire and the north west between 1975 and 1980.

He was interviewed nine times by West Yorkshire Police over the course of the investigation, but avoided arrest. He was eventually convicted in 1981.

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Amid public concern over the investigations into Sutcliffe, an inquiry was launched by Sir Lawrence Byford, the then chief inspector of constabulary, into how the case was handled.

At the time, officers said they were unable to connect vital pieces of information due to a backlog of paperwork.

Sir Lawrence Byford, who lived in Pannal, Harrogate, when he died in 2018.

Sir Lawrence Byford, who lived in Pannal, Harrogate, when he died in 2018.

Sir Lawrence , who died at his home in Pannal in 2018, recommended that major incident rooms across all police forces were standardised and that senior officers were trained for serious crimes, such as serial killers.

Mr Malyn said the most “fundamental” change was setting up the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System.

Known as “HOLMES”, the computerised system stores every piece of evidence and helps senior investigating officers link them together.

Mr Malyn said the changes helped to tackle serious incidents.

He said:

“It has changed the way we now operate major incidents, every scrap of information is put into the system.”

He pointed to the case of Mark Hobson as an example of the changes in action.

Hobson murdered four people in July 2004, including his 27-year-old girlfriend Claire Sanderson and her twin sister Diane in Camblesforth, near Selby.

An eight-day manhunt involving 500 police officers across 12 police forces was launched. He was arrested on July 25 and later sentenced to life imprisonment.

Mr Malyn said at the time it was the “biggest investigation” in North Yorkshire and was supported by the recommendations from the Byford report.

Citroen car stolen in spate of Harrogate burglaries

Thieves stole a Citroen car from a driveway and took cash during a spate of burglaries in Harrogate last weekend.

Homes on King Edward’s Drive, Verity Walk and Fulwith Drive were targeted.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information on the three incidents, which happened between Friday and Sunday.

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Officers said it was unclear if the three burglaries were connected but have urged residents to be vigilant of any suspicious activity.

A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“The first occurred on King Edward’s Drive at some point between 6-8 November and involved car keys being taken from the house and a Citroen car taken from the drive, which was later recovered from Minskip. Ref: 12200196833

“A second burglary occurred at Verity Walk either in the evening of Saturday or early hours of Sunday when offenders attempted to gain access to a property but were unsuccessful. Ref: 12200196761

“A property on Fulwith Drive was targeted between 5–8pm on Sunday when suspects entered the home through a broken window and stole a safe containing a number of items and cash.  Ref: 12200196948

“At this stage it is unclear if these burglaries are connected but North Yorkshire Police advises Harrogate residents to be vigilant for any suspicious activity, strange vehicles in the area and individuals who seem out of place. If you have any information, CCTV or witnessed any of these incidents please call 101  and quote the relevant reference number above or email: Elizabeth.Estensen@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk“

Almost 90 arrests in three years as police tackle county lines drug crime

Police have made 88 drug arrests in the Harrogate district in a targeted operation against county lines activity since January 2018.

The figures, revealed after a request under the Freedom of Information Act by the Stray Ferret, show the number of arrests grew as officers sought to reduce drug dealing and protect vulnerable people in the district.

In 2018, there were only seven drug arrests relating to county lines activity in the Harrogate district, but in 2019 this increased to 51. Up to the end of September 2020, the force reported 30 drug arrests relating to county lines activity.

County lines crime sees drug dealers from more urban areas exploit vulnerable people, including children, and force them to deal drugs in smaller towns and cities. It is a serious and growing issue for the police in Harrogate, with a dedicated team convened under Operation Expedite in April 2018 to tackle it.

Chief Inspector Andrew Colbourne of Harrogate and County Command said:

“There are a whole range of complex issues that have intensified over the past few years as the issue of ‘county lines’ has infiltrated our local communities. We work with numerous partner agencies to provide an all-round approach to disrupting county lines and safeguarding vulnerable people.

“We have dedicated teams that target the supply of drugs and work alongside partners to protect vulnerable people on a daily basis. All our staff are committed to the safety of vulnerable people and victims of crime as well as carrying out focused disruption of those intent on causing harm.”

North Yorkshire Police said county lines is not a recorded crime type so the link in the records is down to human interpretation. The figures only include drug arrests, rather than those for other related crimes such as assault.

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The force said it is proactively working to protect victims of cuckooing, where drug dealers target vulnerable residents and use their home as a base for selling and storing drugs. Victims of cuckooing are often subjected to violence and intimidation.

Children are also common victims of county lines activity and police are also working to safeguard them from grooming by dealers pushing them to help sell and transport drugs. If children try to refuse, police said they can be subject to physical and psychological abused.

Chief Inspector Colbourne added:

“Members of the public can help us by looking beyond the obvious, someone you might associate with antisocial behaviour and troublesome visitors, might just be very scared and exploited. Or, on the surface, a young person might appear to be a trouble-maker, but they could be a scared victim of abuse and be trapped in a criminal world that they can’t escape from.”

The police said the public can offer vital information that results in arrests. To report suspected drug dealing, call the force on 101, or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Two arrested over county lines drug dealing in Ripon

Two suspected drug dealers have been arrested in Ripon as part of a police operation.

Officers stopped a vehicle on Hutton Bank at about 5.20pm on Wednesday and arrested two men aged 21 from Leeds.

They seized a large amount of suspected ecstasy tablets and crack cocaine, as well as a knife and around £500 in cash.

The arrests were part of North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite, which tackles county lines drug crimes.

Officers believe the pair travelled from West Yorkshire to supply large quantities of class A drugs in the Ripon area.

One of the men has been charged with possession of a bladed weapon and will appear in court in February. In relation to possession of class A drugs with intent to supply, both men have been released under investigation.

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Operation Expedite

Officers working on Operation Expedite are focused on targeting people who travel to North Yorkshire in order to deal drugs. They often exploit young and vulnerable people, forcing them into selling drugs.

As well as detecting those behind the crimes, the police teams work to protect those who are vulnerable to being targeted by organised crime networks.

For more information, visit North Yorkshire Police’s website. To report suspected drug dealing, call the force on 101, or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111.

Man arrested in Harrogate after suspected £1,500 shoplifting haul

A suspected shoplifter in Harrogate was arrested with £1,500 worth of goods in his car yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police arrested the man on Leeds Road at about 5.30pm following a report of shoplifting from a store on Cambridge Road.

Officers intercepted a silver car after CCTV operators alerted police.

The suspect’s vehicle was stopped and the driver, a man from the Leeds area, was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and taken into custody.

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He was later released while under investigation.

Investigations into the theft of £1,500 worth of suspected stolen goods are ongoing.

Police hunt owner of Cockapoodle that bit man in Burn Bridge

Police are appealing for help finding the owner of a Cockapoodle that bit a man near Burn Bridge.

The man was attacked about 50 metres from the path entrance to Crimple Meadows woodland playing fields.

According to North Yorkshire Police, the dog was one of two large brown Cockapoodles with thick brown curly hair. One dog was light brown and the other dark brown.

They were with a white man who is described as stocky, 5ft 9 inches tall and in his late fifties. He was wearing a dark green coat and did not have the dogs on leads. A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“The darker brown dog started jumping up at a member of the public and bit the male victim on the arm, causing minor injuries.

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish who the man with the two dogs was.”

The incident took place at about 10am on October 7.

Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police by calling 101 and selecting option 2. Ask for PC Thornborrow. You can also email jackie.thornborrow@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200176089.

Domestic abuse rises in North Yorkshire

Domestic abuse has risen sharply in North Yorkshire — but police say this is mainly due to changes in methods of reporting.

Incidents of domestic abuse increased by 26 per cent in 2018/19 and by three per cent in 2019/20, according to latest crime statistics published by the Office for National Statistics yesterday.

But Detective Superintendent Allan Harder, of North Yorkshire Police, said this was largely down to the requirement to record multiple crimes where stalking and/or harassment has occurred, rather than simply one crime per incident. He said:

“Whilst we were hearing of this increased demand from our partners and in the national media, the number of domestic abuse incidents reported to North Yorkshire Police has remained level.

“Although victims have been seeking additional support, this is not associated with a significant rise in reported incidents.”

Fraud, which is one of North Yorkshire Police’s key priorities, has risen by 700 per cent since January 2019 but the force attributed this to people now reporting incidents directly to it rather than the agency Action Fraud.

A police spokesman said:

“Numbers of fraud incidents we are seeing each month since that time are staying fairly consistent.”

Just six murders occurred in North Yorkshire in the year ending June 2020. Only Bedfordshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and North Wales had fewer.

Burglary, theft, vehicle crime and criminal damage showed marked decreases, mainly due to the impact of the national lockdown on March 23.

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Police drugs bust near Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

Police seized 50 wraps of suspected class A drugs, a knife and some cannabis after swooping on two men near Harrogate’s Valley Gardens yesterday.

The men, aged 23 and 26, were taken into custody where the 23-year-old was charged with possessing a knife and possessing class B drugs. The 26-year-old was charged with driving offences.

Both men remain under investigation on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

The men, who are from Leeds, are believed to be part of county lines drug dealing across county borders.

According to North Yorkshire Police, officers on active patrol spotted the pair in a vehicle near Valley Gardens at about 5pm.

A police statement said:

“After searching the two men from Leeds and their vehicle, officers recovered 50 wraps of suspected class A drugs, a hunting knife and some cannabis.”

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North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite teams focus on county lines drug dealers who travel from outside North Yorkshire to sell drugs.

The force appealed to anyone with information about drug dealing in their area to contact it on 101.

If you prefer not to speak to the police and remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.