Police call on elite team for Yorkshire crime blitz

The cross-border regional crime unit will monitor drugs traffickers, money launderers and other sophisticated criminals, sharing information with Yorkshire's four police forces.

The unit's commander, Det Chief Supt Martyn Bates, who starts in the role today, said it would play a crucial role in breaking up crime gangs who use the region's major transport routes to move drugs, guns and dirty cash.

Det Chief Supt Bates said drug dealing was "extremely prevalent" in Yorkshire, 60 to 70 per cent of the region's crime gangs being involved in the supply of illegal substances.

He added: "We have problems with firearms and there are particular issues with gangs in Leeds and Sheffield, although less so than in other parts of the country.

"But the main four areas we have to deal with are money laundering, Class A drugs, counterfeiting and the cannabis factories which are prevalent in all four counties.

"The things that organised crime groups across the region have in common is that they have to communicate, they have to transport people and commodities, and they have to launder their money.

"This means we will have to look at the main transport routes – the M1, A1 and M62 motorways; the rail network; Leeds Bradford, Humberside and Robin Hood airports; and the seaports."

Det Chief Supt Bates will lead a "hand-picked team", made up entirely of officers from Yorkshire forces who are "trained practitioners in tackling serious and organised crime".

A Yorkshire Post investigation in February revealed organised crime in the region was worth an estimated 2.5bn a year.

The new unit will focus on some of the most lucrative criminal enterprises, but Det Chief Supt Bates said its work could also help reduce "lower-level" crime like burglaries and car thefts, often linked to drugs.

"We will be judged on results, but our work is not just about drug seizures and money seizures," he said. "It's about managing the impact of this crime on local communities."

The region's four forces – West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Humberside – are working more closely than ever as they brace themselves for funding cuts after the election.

The new team will build on the work of three existing region-wide units, dealing with asset recovery, intelligence and crime on Yorkshire's roads.

Funding from the Home Office lasts for only one year, but Det Chief Supt Bates said he believed the team was "here to stay".

He added: "Like the rest of the public sector, we will be under scrutiny and we face challenging times with regard to funding.

"Pooling resources and technology gives us all sorts of opportunities to maximise what we have."

Formerly the head of crime at South Yorkshire Police, he has led several major inquiries, including high profile investigations into the Sheffield murders of taxi driver Younis Khan and teenager Jonathan Matondo.

Deputy chief constable Mark Whyman, who oversees regional policing, said: "Martyn brings with him a wealth of experience and is truly innovative and inspirational in his approach.

"He is going to be an invaluable asset to the team."