Two men were arrested near York Minster after plain clothes police officers spotted them acting suspiciously.
The men, both from Manchester and aged 18 and 27, were arrested in the Minster Yard area of York on Monday afternoon (20 January) following a short foot chase by the officers who observed them while on patrol in Jewbury.
The 27-year-old has since been charged with possessing cocaine with intent to supply, possessing amphetamine with intent to supply, possessing a knife, possessing criminal property (money believed to have been used in criminal activity) and assaulting a police officer.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear at York Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (22 January).
The 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply and possessing criminal property has been released on conditional bail to allow for further enquiries to be carried out.
Car intercepted
In a separate incident on the afternoon of Friday 17 January, a man from London was arrested on the A64 when the car he was driving was intercepted by officers as it travelling towards York.
He has since been charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on 20 January where he was remanded in custody and sent to York Crown Court for trial on 17 February.
His arrest and charge follows two incidents in York, one on 8 January when an 18-year-old London man was arrested, and one on 14 January when a 23-year-old man, also from London, was arrested, both on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
They remain released under investigation while further enquiries are carried out.
Operation Expedite is active across all areas of the force and includes dedicated teams of officers based in York, Harrogate and Scarborough whose aim is to disrupt county lines drug dealing, safeguard vulnerable people and bring the criminals behind it to justice.
They do this through “highly visible policing and not so visible policing”.
Your information is vital in helping us to do this. To find out more about how you can help and what to look out for, go here.