Officers make arrests as part of crack down on drugs trafficking and exploitation of children

Officers yesterday (27^th October) teamed up with Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Avon and Somerset police to tackle County Lines drug dealing up and down the UK.

The operation, which ran from the early hours of yesterday morning until late in the evening saw officers patrolling on foot and in both marked and unmarked cars, on the hunt for those involved in moving, dealing and selling drugs.

Officers were situated in various train stations including Liverpool Lime Street as well as being based along the Wirral Line between Hamilton Square and Chester.

In total, 75 people were stop searched, 19 were found in possession of an illegal substance, whilst six of these were arrested for offences including possession of Class A drugs, modern slavery and breaching a restraining order.

Whilst in Liverpool Lime Street Station, patrols stopped two men, aged 16 and 18 where they were found in possession of a large quantity of cash, phones and suspected Class A and B drugs.

Both men were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug and possession with intent to supply, whilst the 18 year old was additionally arrested on suspicion of Modern Slavery.

Elsewhere, just before midday, a 37 year old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs after he was stopped on London Road, Liverpool after being seen engaged in a suspected drugs transaction.

A quantity of wraps of brown and white powder was located nearby which were seized and a further search of a property on Blackburne Place also recovered a small quantity of white tablets and two graft phones. He was taken to custody but has been released under investigation.

Merseyside Police’s Inspector Katie Wilkinson said “We invest a lot of time and effort working with police forces up and down the county. This heightens our ability to identify and locate offenders nationwide whilst supporting vulnerable people that may have been caught up in criminal gangs.

“County Lines activity encompasses the transportation of drugs and the exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults, as well as putting the wider public at greater risk of serious violence.

“This criminal lifestyle shouldn’t be glamourised and can lead to serious consequences. Gang members exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and supply drugs on their behalf. By working with our colleagues in Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Avon and Somerset as well as other police forces closer to home, we’ll continue to showcase the extensive efforts we go in order to protect the public and arrest offenders.

“Help us safeguard young people living in Merseyside by reporting criminal activity to us – whether you know someone involved in crime, are worried about someone at risk or simply have information that could help with our continued investigations, we want to know about it.

“Message us on social media @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK anonymously – together we can take dangerous people and substances off our streets.”

Force Lead from Devon and Cornwall Police, Detective Superintendent Ed Wright added: “County lines gangs exploit vulnerable adults and children; manipulating them and putting them in harm’s way in order to make money from them.

“We know the harm that county lines causes vulnerable people in Devon and Cornwall and we have been working hard to tackle these gangs and the misery they bring when they appear. We are collaborating with other forces, such as the officers from Merseyside Police.

“By not trying to do this in isolation and activity working together across geographical boundaries we can prevent county lines gangs getting a foothold here in the South West and protect the vulnerable people who would have otherwise been exploited as a result. This partnership has been very productive and we look forward to continuing this work in the future.”