(Image: Supplied)
SIX people have been arrested as part of a police investigation into organised cargo theft.
Officers raided six addresses in Leeds on Tuesday, August 18, targeting individuals suspected of stealing goods from heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) across the UK.
The operation was led by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU), with warrants executed in the Belle Isle and Kirkstall areas of the city.
Those arrested are five men and one woman, aged 27 to 56.
They are being held on suspicion of theft from motor vehicle.
Detective Superintendent Al Burns, of the YHROCU, said: "We've recently increased the staffing of our Regional Intelligence Unit to develop a more front foot approach, which has given the team an increased capability to speedily turn live intelligence into timely proactive operations targeting a range of criminality.
"A key focus of that heightened proactivity is organised acquisitive crime, and today's operation is the latest instalment in what will be a series of similar operations over the coming weeks and months."
During the raids, officers seized suspected stolen goods, controlled drugs and a variety of weapons, including a stun gun.
This type of organised crime remains a serious issue nationwide, with an average of nine offences per day amounting to a total cost of £65 million last year.
Det Supt Burns said: "The wider impact includes the trauma caused to drivers who confront the thieves, as well as damage to vehicles, replacement transport, missed deliveries, insurance costs, and disruption to supply chains, with customers often facing higher prices as a result."
The investigation is being led by the Regional Intelligence Unit as part of a broader effort to tackle organised acquisitive crime across Yorkshire and the Humber.
All six individuals remain in custody as enquiries continue.