Successful day of action tackling serious and organised crime in St Helens

A day of activity took place in St Helens yesterday, Thursday 12^th September, as part of Operation Target - our ongoing work to tackle serious and violent crime on Merseyside. 

Officers carried out drugs warrants, open land searches, roadside operations and high visibility patrols across St Helens in a bid to disrupt criminal activity and bring people to justice.

As part of the activity we arrested eight people, recovered a large quantity of suspected class A and B drugs, carried out 30 roadside checks and three warrants.

Local Policing Inspector Neil Birkett said: “This is an intelligence-led operation which aims to deter and detect criminal activity in the St Helens area.

“Operation Target is aimed at cracking down on serious and violent crime including knife and gun crime but we know that other types of criminality such as drug dealing, burglary and antisocial behaviour have a huge impact on the people of St Helens and the quality of their lives.

“The activity we are carrying out today is aimed at those who want to commit criminal acts and make other people’s lives a misery. Law abiding members of the public have nothing to fear and I hope that they feel reassured that we are out and about and visible in their communities.

“I also want to reassure people that this work is ongoing, both visibly and behind the scenes as we work with partner agencies to gather intelligence and educate people.

“I would encourage anyone who has information about criminality in their neighbourhoods to contact us so that we may take positive action and make the streets of St Helens and Merseyside safe and enjoyable places for people to live, work and visit.”

Anyone who has information about drug dealing in the community or knows where weapons are being stored or who is using them can contact us by sending a DM to @MerPolCC, calling 101 or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

ARRESTS

A 33-year-old man from Rainford was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class A drug, theft and possession of a knife.

A 47-year-old man from Bootle was arrested on warrant for breaching a court order

A 34-year-old man from Denton’s Green was arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

A 48-year-old man from St Helens was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs

A 36-year-old woman from Manchester was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs

A 29-year-old man from St Helens was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs

A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class B drugs

A 17-year-old boy from Newton-le-Willows was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding, in connection with an incident in Pennine Drive the previous evening.