MORE than 30 people were arrested in a crackdown on travelling criminals across North Yorkshire.

Operation Hawk was launched last July, with regular days of action throughout the county by police and partner agencies, including Home Office immigration officers.

Throughout Thursday, carried out by 120 officers and support staff, 32 arrests were made, including four for offences including importation of Class C drugs, domestic assault, burglary and failure to attend court.

Police swooped in North Street, York, but authorities could not confirm today whether any arrests were made.

Officers in Selby arrested four people on suspicion of possessing Class A, B and C drugs with intent to supply during raids at two addresses.

At one property in Elston Avenue, a 30-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman were arrested. The man remains in custody for questioning, the woman has been released on bail.

At the other property in Westbourne Gardens, two men aged 57 and 60 were arrested, and have since been released on bail.

Ten people were arrested in Scarborough, and Chief Constable Dave Jones joined the Road Crime Team on Wednesday when they were alerted to a van carrying two men wanted for conspiracy to commit burglary. The vehicle was traced to the Hartlepool area, and two men aged 37 and 26 were arrested and later bailed.

Chief Con Jones said: "I was really pleased to be able to get out onto the frontline and help out my colleagues who have worked tirelessly to make the operation an ongoing success."

Safer Neighbourhood Teams also visited repeat victims of commercial burglary to offer crime prevention advice, and the Road Crime Team stopped a silver BMW which had been seen travelling at speed on the A661 between Spofforth and Wetherby.

The occupants of the vehicle, two men in their 30s, were searched and officers located Class A drugs believed to be worth around £3,000 and a knife. They were arrested and remain in police custody.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy also joined officers during the event, and said: "It is very important to North Yorkshire Police that the communities we serve can feel safe and I hope the results of these days of action give them the reassurance that we are doing everything we can to protect them from the threat of crime."