Police have arrested 10 men in connection with the theft of around £2 million of railway track from across South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the West Midlands.

The suspects were detained as part of Operation Ultimatum after British Transport Police (BPT) executed search warrants at 12 addresses in the early hours of Wednesday, 09 November.

Over 100 officers were involved in the operation, including dog units and specialist officers from the force's high tech crime unit. A number of vehicles were seized and stolen scrap metal and large amounts of cash was discovered at two of the premises searched.

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The ten suspects were arrested and are currently being held in custody where they will be interviewed by detectives. Three of the men ran scrap metal dealers in South Yorkshire.

Detective Chief Inspector Glen Alderson said: "The arrests made this morning as part of Operation Ultimatum, are the result of a 6 month investigation into the theft of £2million of rail track by an organised crime group from 44 line side locations and depots in South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Birmingham."

Investigations are continuing.

(LM/MH)