TWO women have been arrested and a large amount of suspected cocaine seized from a car on York’s Outer Ring Road, police have revealed.

North Yorkshire Police said the operation was one of a number involving the use of ANPR -automatic number plate recognition – which led directly to 55 arrests last month.

It said two women had been arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine with intent to supply after their vehicle was stopped on the A1237 outer ring road.

“Officers recovered a large amount of suspected cocaine from the vehicle,” it said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

In another incident near Knaresborough, a man was arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis with intent to supply and also money laundering after his car was stopped and a large amount of suspected cannabis was seized, along with mobile phones and drug paraphernalia. The investigation is ongoing.

In a third incident on the A168 near Thirsk, a woman was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft after her vehicle was shown to have cloned registration plates. The BMW turned out to be stolen from Surrey, said police, adding that the investigation was ongoing.