Man from Vauxhall charged with drugs supply offences

A man from Vauxhall has been charged following an investigation into County Lines drug dealing.

Following extensive inquiries carried out by officers as part of Operation Toxic, Jamie McGivern, 24, of Francine Close, in Vauxhall, was arrested and charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs (cocaine and heroin), possession of controlled Class A and B drugs (cocaine and cannabis), possession of criminal property and possession of an offensive weapon.

He has been remanded into custody to appear at Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and St Helens Adult Remand Court today (Thursday 11 January.)

Operation Toxic is part of Project Medusa – a Merseyside-led initiative set up to tackle County Lines drug dealing and child criminal exploitation across the country.

The Project Medusa team provides the daily force response to County Lines and they work alongside partners and other forces from across the UK to dismantle and disrupt criminal gangs.

It is funded by the Home Office and also aims to stop the criminal exploitation of young people and vulnerable adults.

Detective Sergeant Gerard Farley said: “Project Medusa and teams across the force are working hard to tackle County Lines drug dealing, day in, day out.

“Intimidation, fear, coercion and threats of violence are just some of the realities for a child, or vulnerable person, being exploited by criminals involved in County Lines and Project Medusa is our dedicated response.

“We thank the public who share information with us about drug dealing or any vulnerability they see because this intelligence is vital to protecting our communities.

“We have a Silence is Not an Option campaign, which urges anyone with any information about those involved in drugs, gangs and other serious crimes to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.  We can use this information to remove these criminals from our communities and keep Merseyside safe for generations to come.

"It’s also important that everyone who cares for or knows a young and/or vulnerable person can spot the warning signs. You can visit the Eyes Open campaign to learn more and tell us if something doesn’t feel right.”

Read more here about the Eyes Open campaign: https://www.eyes-open.co.uk.

You can also report any concerns to police on 999 if a crime is in progress, via 101, or our social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC.

You can also pass information via Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org