A MAJOR police operation designed to foil travelling criminals brought arrests all over the country, including West Yorkshire.

The operation was staged from the Scottish Borders down to the Humber and involved seven police forces.

They were Cleveland, Northumbria, Durham, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside.

Officers set up checkpoints over two nights on key routes throughout the region in a carefully co-ordinated exercise.

Vehicles with sophisticated computers and a range of other technology were at each site. Their targets included known drug couriers.

Operation Moleskin saw 43 people arrested for offences ranging from drugs, theft, burglary and deception to driving offences.

Cash totalling £23,000 and drugs worth £14,000 were seized.

West Yorkshire Police's Target Initiative played a central role, co-ordinating the regional communication and results.

In West Yorkshire, 19 vehicles were stopped and six arrests made for a range of traffic offences.

Similar operations will be held again.