SUCCESSFUL National Crime Squad operations carried out in the north of England have resulted in the arrest of 12 people believed to be at the heart of active criminal conspiracies.

Another 175 people alleged to be closely involved with them were also arrested.

The information is contained in the Annual Report of the National Crime Squad for the year ending March 31, 2000.

In the squad's second year, its northern area officers took on 93 operations and charged and prosecuted 267 people.

Officers also disrupted 112 criminal enterprises, seized drugs valued at £35,323,751 and counterfeit securities worth £2,468,980. They also seized 43 firearms.

During the year, the area's specialist financial officers traced almost £9 million of criminally acquired assets available for confiscation through the courts.

David Wakenshaw, Assistant Chief Constable for the Northern Area, said: "Our results speak for themselves and send out a strong message to people involved in crime.

"We are increasingly tackling more major offenders than we did in the past and this means taking on fewer operations and spending months, even years, on investigations.

"But we believe that catching the linchpins of organised gangs is the key to breaking their domination of illegal activities."