Police have arrested 50 people and seized weapons, drugs and money in the aftermath of the A66 crash, after the tragedy sparked a crackdown on gang violence.
The arrests include 10 individuals connected with a red Volvo XC60 involved in ramming properties in Middlesbrough, which is believed to have sparked the chain of events that resulted in the deaths of five young men and two police officers.
Detectives believe the Volvo rammed the home of Gye Worthy, father of gang member Cole Worthy, 17, by deliberately reversing into the front window and causing extensive damage.
There is no suggestion that Cole's father Gye, 39, was involved in any criminal activity. The attack on his home, however, appears to be the flashpoint that led to the fatal crash.
The Volvo went on to target the homes of the mother and grandmother of fellow gang member Theo Rae, also 17.
Within minutes, Worthy, Rae, Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18, began hunting for the Volvo in the early hours of August 22.
They raced around the streets in a VW Passat before being spotted by Cleveland police officers who chased them at speed through Teesville, Middlesbrough.
The gang then turned the wrong way up the A66 dual carriageway and slammed head-on into an armed response vehicle occupied by two officers, PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37.
The arrests include 10 individuals connected with a red Volvo XC60 involved in ramming properties in Middlesbrough, including the home of Cole Worthy's father, which sparked the chain of events leading to the A66 tragedy
The occupants of both cars were killed following the crash at 3.39am.
Daily Mail understands the occupants of the Volvo and the Passat belonged to rival gangs operating as part of an organised criminal network spread across Teesside.
Cleveland Police have now reached the milestone of 50 arrests - 39 men and 11 women - since the tragedy.
Over the course of the investigation, officers have recovered three shotguns, two handguns, ammunition, machetes, knives and pepper spray, as well as seized approximately £60,000 worth of class A and class B drugs and £34,750 in cash.
The offences range from participating in an organised crime group, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possession with intent to supply drugs, arson, threats to kill and criminal damage.
Fifteen people have been charged to date.
Cameron Coxall, 19, of Redcar, was sentenced to two months for throwing a brick at a police vehicle as it travelled along Kings Road in Middlesbrough on August 25.
Officers have also made safeguarding interventions in relation to three children.
PC Matthew Blades, a father of two, was killed when his police vehicle was struck head-on by a VW Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough
PC Tom Clough also died in the crash, which occurred around ten seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen had been called off
Cole Worthy (right) with fellow gang member Theo Rae, who died in the crash
Jacob Matusiak, another occupant of the car which hit the officers' patrol vehicle
Makai Saddington, one of the five killed in the VW during the incident on August 22
Michael Robert Cahill, 23, died alongside his four friends and two police officers in the crash
Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Barker, head of crime for Cleveland Police, said: 'This activity is testament to our commitment in tackling serious and organised crime.
'Over the last two months, we have identified 50 people who we believe are associated within criminal networks that seek to cause serious violence and harm within the community through the supply of drugs.
'Ten of those arrests are directly linked to the Volvo that is reported to have been involved in driving into two properties in Middlesbrough on the morning of Saturday 22 August.
'Our pursuit of this criminality will continue, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the community for their support and patience but also for the information that we keep receiving.
'I want to encourage you to keep on reporting behaviour that is related to drugs or organised crime – no matter how small – and be assured that we will act.'
She added that Operation Sentinel – which has been targeting serious and organised crime – has involved Cleveland Police working alongside the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), National Crime Agency (NCA) and more than 200 reinforcements sent from other forces around the country.