“This crackdown was a collaborative approach with other forces to identify and apprehend serious criminals who use road networks to commit organized crime linked to drug, gang and gun lines in the county,” said Det. Ch Insp James Panter, who oversaw the Bedfordshire branch. operation.

“Using a range of overt and covert tactics, we have successfully apprehended a number of suspects for a wide range of offenses which underpin some of the worst crimes to blight Bedfordshire.

“In one case, he was arrested just 20 minutes after a car was reported stolen, and in another we recovered a loaded shotgun following a stolen vehicle chase.

“Those accused now face trial while our inquiries into a number of other related investigations will continue.”