MORE than 130 vehicles were stopped and cash and drugs were seized in a joint police operation across the north of England.

Five forces took part in Operation Checkpoint, between 3pm and 1am on November 25, with the aim of intercepting travelling criminals.

The operation, which saw more than 80 officers from Cumbria North Yorkshire, Durham, Cleveland, and Northumbria Police take to the roads, is designed to create a hostile environment for travelling criminals to operate. 

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In Cumbria 70 vehicles were stopped, five stop and searches were carried out and one mobile phone offence was reported.

A suspected stolen quad bike from the county was recovered near the Scottish border and advice was given to three motorists around the use of lights and seat belt. 

In North Yorkshire 40 vehicles were stopped and cannabis worth £600 and £890 in cash was seized.

A vehicle was also seized and three arrests were made.

Police said their intelligence shows that organised crime groups are targeting rural areas, moving across county borders in the north of England to steal goods, largely from rural communities. 

Operation Checkpoint is designed to allow all forces across the north to share and gather intelligence about travelling criminals and disrupt their use of the road network.

Inspector Richard Quinn for Cumbria Constabulary said: “Criminals don’t recognise boundaries, so it is important we work together in order to prevent and deter crime.”