Nine Kilos Of Counterfeit Tobacco And 9,000 Cigarettes In Hartlepool Raid..
- May 20
- 3 min read
Hartlepool Shop Raided As Police Seize Thousands Of Suspected Illegal Cigarettes
20th May 2026
Nine kilos of loose tobacco and up to 9,000 cigarettes have reportedly been seized from a shop in Murray Street as part of a major police operation targeting crime and drug distribution across Hartlepool.
Cleveland Police confirmed the seizure followed a series of early-morning strikes on Monday 18 May, carried out under the Controversial Operation Artemis Scheme, a force-led operation aimed at disrupting suspected drug supply, criminal exploitation and associated offences in the town.
The police operation saw around 60 officers from Cleveland Police and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit deployed across Hartlepool, with dogs and drones also used during what the police claimed to be 'coordinated action'.
In total, its claimed 28 properties were searched, including one commercial premises. Police said 13 people were arrested during the operation, including suspects held on suspicion of drug supply offences, exploitation, fraud and outstanding warrants.
However, one of the most notable seizures was said to have been the discovery of a large quantity of suspected counterfeit tobacco from the Murray Street shop.
Police said officers seized nine kilos of loose tobacco and 9,000 cigarettes from the premises. An electric bike, suspected to have been stolen, was also seized from a house in Elliot Street.
The operation followed a six-month investigation into illegal drugs supply in Hartlepool, with the wider aim being to target those suspected of supplying drugs, as well as disrupting the criminal activity linked to it, including exploitation, anti-social behaviour, theft, robbery and burglary.
Temporary Superintendent Daryll Tomlinson, Hartlepool’s District Commander, said the raids were the result of work with the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit and formed part of efforts to tackle criminals exploiting young people.
He said police were also targeting the use of off-road and electric bikes, which officers say are often linked to drug supply and wider criminal behaviour.
All those arrested have been questioned and released on bail while enquiries continue.
Operation Artemis is not without controversy in Hartlepool.
The same operation was previously linked to the death of a Hartlepool man in 2023, after Cleveland Police officers stopped and detained a suspect driving a white van on Whitby Street. The man later died while in police custody, in circumstances which continue to raise serious questions.
Cleveland Police have consistently denied any wrongdoing or responsibility in connection with the man’s death. However, previous investigations by The Teesside & Durham Post have raised concerns about the handling of the incident and the subsequent investigation.
An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct later cleared Cleveland Police of wrongdoing. However, concerns remain over crucial video evidence previously published by a local newspaper which, according to information reviewed by this publication, showed two officers using force against the man as he was removed from the vehicle before being bundled into a police van.
Further questions have also been raised over the handling of that footage, after video evidence connected to the incident was later said to have been 'lost' once external investigation of Cleveland Police’s conduct began to emerge.
As a result, for some in Hartlepool, the name Operation Artemis carries a far more controversial history than the force’s latest press release suggests.
