Two arrested following discovery of cash and drugs in St Helens

Two people have been arrested in an operation to tackle County Lines drug dealing in St Helens.

At around 1.45pm on Friday 30 June officers were patrolling the area when they noticed a group of people acting suspiciously on Roscoe Street. One male threw £2,000 cash and 30 wraps of suspected crack cocaine/heroin as he ran in to the bushes.

A 17-year-old boy from Chorley has been arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a controlled Class A drugs, heroin and crack cocaine and acquire/use/possess criminal property. He has been released under investigation.

Following further enquiries, officers searched a house in St Helens and found two bags of cannabis and a wrap of heroin.

A 40-year-old woman from St Helens has been arrested of possession of a controlled Class A and B drugs, heroin and cannabis. She was given a community resolution order.

Superintendent Phil Mullally added: “Organised crime is hugely damaging to our communities, often involving intimidation, violence and creating fear and it is these criminals who run County Lines.

“Criminals involved in organised crime have no thought for anyone other than themselves, and their criminal intent and greed.

“We have various proactive police operations which are dedicated to cutting these County Lines dead and taking those who operate them off our streets and working with partners to help those who may be exploited by these gangs.”

Nearby to these arrests we have also been increasing our high visibility foot patrolling with a view to preventing violent crime. This will continue and we want the community to provide us with intelligence that we can utilise to target criminals in the area and safeguard vulnerable people who could be being exploited by criminal gangs.

Superintendent Mullally: “Criminals be warned that if you get involved in crime, you risk facing the consequences. But when we identify vulnerable, exploited people during our enquiries, we ensure they are treated with sensitivity and understanding, and are offered the appropriate support.”

Read more here about how to spot the signs of exploitation linked to drug dealing and the
Eyes Open campaign, introduced by Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership: www.eyes-open.co.uk
 
You can also report any concerns to police on 999 if a crime is in progress, via 101, or via Twitter @MerPolCC.
 
You can also pass information via the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org