Seven arrested in crackdown on County Lines drug dealing

Officers from Project Medusa have arrested seven people as part of our continued fight against County Lines drug dealing in the North West.

This morning, Monday 2 May, police executed warrants in Kirkby and Everton in connection with the supply of drugs into the Macclesfield area of Cheshire.

A 27-year-old-man from Kirkby was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and possession of a Class B drug (cannabis).

A 23-year-old woman from Kirkby was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs and money laundering.

A 41-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property.

An 18-year-old woman from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property.

An 18-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs and possession of criminal property.

A 64-year-old woman and from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of possession of a Section 5 firearm without a certificate, possession of a Class A drug (heroin) and possession of criminal property.

A 65-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of possession of a Section 5 firearm without a certificate, possession of a Class A drug (heroin) and possession of criminal property.

All those arrested have been taken into custody for questioning by police.

During the warrants, approximately £30,000 in cash, three vehicles, three electric bikes, a Section 5 Firearm and Class A and B drugs (heroin and cannabis) were recovered.

This was part of the ongoing Project Medusa, a Merseyside-led initiative set up to tackle County Lines drug dealing and child criminal exploitation.

Detective Inspector Gary Stratton said: "This morning’s arrests were part of the proactive work we are carrying out under Project Medusa, an operation that works across force boundaries to ensure we take suspected County line offenders off our streets.

"Organised crime destroys communities and the lives of those taking drugs and those who are often coerced into dealing them on behalf of these gangs.

"The gangs who operate these lines, use young and vulnerable people to do their dirty work for them and we need to put a stop to this.

“Our work to remove these people from our streets and bring them to justice will continue on a daily basis and I would ask anyone who has information about this kind of activity to come forward so we can find those responsible and bring them to justice.”

If you have concerns about drug dealing in your area you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, call Merseyside Police on 101 or DM @MerpolCC. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.

Spotting the signs of someone involved in County Lines can be tricky – if you are worried about someone, visit www.eyes-open.co.uk for more information.