Five arrested on suspicion of drugs supply after Wirral warrants

We arrested five men during warrants in Wirral this morning (Thursday 17 December) as part of an investigation into the supply of cocaine in England and Scotland.

The arrests form part of the Merseyside Police response to Operation Venetic, a national investigation into the use of encrypted mobile devices, commonly referred to as Encrochat. 

Warrants were executed at addresses in Upton, Poulton, Prenton and Noctorum in Wirral and drugs mixing agents, a large quantity of cash, 5,000 cigarettes and a number of high value watches were recovered.

The following men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A controlled drugs between March and June 2020.

- A 45-year-old man from Upton
- A 37-year-old man from Prenton
- A 40-year-old man from Prenton
- A 23-year-old man from Birkenhead
- A 67-year-old man from Upton

All five have been taken into custody where they will be questioned by detectives.

Detective Inspector Matt Caton said: "Warrants such as this are a vital tool in our efforts to disrupt the activities of anyone in Merseyside involved in organised crime.

“Any criminal who plays their part in an illicit trade that exploits vulnerable people and brings violence to the heart of our communities should not sleep easy.

“They may believe they are beyond the law, but we have officers working round-the-clock on the streets and behind the scenes to gather intelligence and evidence that will inevitably lead to them being given a rude awakening, and put before the courts.

“Everything we do is to protect our communities from harm, and our pursuit of anyone who risks threatening the safety and security of people living in Merseyside is constant and relentless. 

“We have had great success in helping put people involved in drug supply in Merseyside and further afield behind bars, and putting a stop to the violence they often use to protect their illegal business interests.

“Working with other forces, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and the National Crime Agency, we will continue to identify opportunities to take enforcement action such as this to safeguard our communities and mitigate any risk of serious violence.

“I can reassure the communities of Merseyside that the force will continue its fight against those involved in serious organised crime to make our communities safer.”