Two more arrests have been made by police after a vehicle was rammed in Middlesbrough, eight days after a head-on collision which killed five young men and two police officers.
Cleveland Police said 27 people have now been arrested as part of their investigations since the horrific collision on the A66 on 22 August.
In the latest incident, men aged 19 and 24 were arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The force said it happened after a vehicle rammed another on Derwentwater Road at around 11pm on Sunday.
The older man was arrested in Burns Road around half an hour later, while the teenager was arrested at a property in that street by officers conducting checks in the area.
Both men remained in custody on Monday.
open image in galleryCleveland Police also said an 18-year-old has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving after a car was spotted “being driven dangerously” in the town on Saturday afternoon.
He appeared before Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was remanded in custody, the force said.
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox said: “We have said previously Cleveland Police will not stop pursuing those involved in serious and organised crime, and I hope these arrests further demonstrate that.
“Our commitment to tackling criminal gangs whose intent is to harm people in our communities is, and will continue to be, a persistent focus for us.
“These latest developments now take the total number of arrests since we started investigating the incidents in the early hours of Saturday August 22 2026 to 27 and I can assure the public that they will not be the last.
“We are investigating around the clock and we thank the public not only for their support and patience while we conduct numerous inquiries, but also for the information we are receiving.
“We will always act on this information in our unwavering commitment to dismantle serious and organised crime in our area.”
open image in galleryAround 200 police officers from outside Cleveland Police have been drafted in to help the force tackle organised crime following the crash on the A66.
Pc Tom Clough, 38, and Pc Matthew Blades, 37, were killed when their marked response vehicle was hit by a Volkswagen Passat heading the wrong way down the dual carriageway.
Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Cahill and Jakub Matusiak were in the Passat and were also killed in the crash.
Four of the five had criminal records and police have said there may be links to “serious and organised criminal activity”.
On Wednesday, Valentina Foster, seven, and her aunt Natalie McDonaled, 34, were killed in a house fire in nearby Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, and a murder investigation was launched.
Police have since ruled out a link to the fire and their wider organised crime investigations.
On Sunday, Pc Blades’ sons led out Manchester United at Old Trafford for their game against Ipswich Town.