APPEAL FOR WITNESSES, SHOOTING, CROXTETH

MERSEYSIDE Police are appealing for witnesses following a shooting in the Croxteth area at approximately 10.30 pm on Sunday evening of 26 July 2009.

A 14 year old boy was shot in the leg in Storrington Avenue, Croxteth, and was taken to hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening.

Police have arrested five young men found within the vicitiny of the incident and have recovered a firearm that may be connected to this incident. The ages of the young men arrested are:- 15, 18, 19, 19 and 28 years old.

At this time the motive for the shooting is unclear.

High visibility patrols have been stepped up in the area and the scene has been cordoned off for forensic examinations.

Detectives are appealing to anyone who witnessed the shooting or who has information contact the Matrix team on:- 0151 777 5699, the Guncrime Hotline on:- 0800 458 1211 or Crimestoppers anonymously on:- 0800 555 111.

RONALDO COMES TO THE ‘ADE’ OF YOUNG FOOTBALLERS

THIS year’s Liverpool-Knowsley International Youth Soccer Tournament will have the world’s most famous footballer on the pitch when it kicks off for 6 days on the 28 July 2009.

For the organisers have clinched an incredible partnership deal with Cristiano Ronaldo’s new 100% natural energy drink ‘Soccerade’, which launches on the UK market mid September.

Ronaldo may have left these shores for Real Madrid but his image will be omni-present at this year’s tournament with the Soccerade promotions team distributing Soccerade to all players and coaches.

The arrangement is a win-win for both parties with Soccerade gaining a foothold in UK grass roots football and the LKIYST benefiting immeasurably from its association with the UK’s first ever 100% natural energy drink, fronted by football’s biggest superstar.

Relations between the two began at this year’s NEC UK Grass Roots Football Show, where Soccerade made its UK debut. A month later and they are now official ‘Smart Energy Partners’ ready to unleash a barrage of Ronaldo refreshment on talented young footballers.

Tournament Organiser, Dave Mercer of Knowsley City Council said:- “This is fantastic news for us. Ronaldo is the greatest player in the world so to have his brand endorsing our tournament is something very special indeed.”

Ivar Josafatsson, the Chairman of Icelandic based manufacturer ‘Leppin’, which developed and created the Soccerade brand, said:- “We’re delighted to announce our partnership with the Welsh International Super Cup. They have proved to us that they share our vision of grass roots football and youth development and we’re looking forward to seeing this relationship develop in the future.”

RID NORTHERN STREETS OF ILLICIT TOBACCO - DID YOU KNOW?

A few facts about illicit tabacco...

1. The public opinion survey consisted of more than 6,000 telephone and street interviews carried out by NEMS market research in July 2009 for the partners in the North of England Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health programme.

2. Agencies involved in the development of the programme include regional public health organisations (including Smokefree North West, Fresh (Smokefree North East), and Smokefree Yorkshire & the Humber), trading standards groups, HM Revenue & Customs, local authorities, the Association of Chief Police Officers, local police forces, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and the newly formed UK Border Agency.

3. The recent survey for Trading Standards North West interviewed 13.902 young people in the North West and showed that illicit tobacco is a significant source for young people. Nearly 14,000 14 to 17 year olds completed the questionnaire and of these 22% said they were smokers.

When asked about their buying habits:-

Nearly one in five (19%) bought from street sellers, vans, neighbours or private houses

• 60% had bought packs of cigarettes with health warnings in a foreign language

• Up to 50% said they had bought fake cigarettes

• There had been a significant fall since a similar survey in 2007 in the numbers saying they bought from off-licences and newsagents. This was attributed to the introduction of the law banning sales to the under 18s. However, those surveyed still cited such shops as one of their main sources of tobacco

Contact the Customs Hotline with information on illicit tobacco sellers on:- 0800 59 5000 or via the website. Calls can be anonymous.

PUBLIC BACKS NEW PUSH TO RID NORTH WEST STREETS OF ILLICIT TOBACCO

ALMOST nine in 10 people in the North West believe that smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco are putting children at risk, and more than half think that they bring crime into local communities, according to major new research.

The survey comes as a new initiative to rid the North West of illicit tobacco is launched on Tuesday, 28 July 2009, with the aim of slashing smoking death rates and clearing the region’s streets of a significant source of crime.

The initiative is part of the North of England Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health programme. This brings together health organisations through Smokefree North West, Trading Standards, and Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for the first time in the UK. They will be co-ordinating a regional crackdown on the trade, which kills four times as many people as smuggled illegal drugs*. An estimated 60 million cigarettes and 15 tonnes of illegal tobacco were seized in HMRC operations in the region in 2008/09.

Dr Ruth Hussey, North West Regional Director of Public Health, said:- “We have made great progress in reducing smoking rates but still, one in five deaths in the region is related to smoking.

Smuggled and counterfeit tobacco can be half the price of genuine products and it encourages people to keep smoking.

Why is combating tobacco smuggling is a priority; it also provides a source for children and young people who are finding it more difficult to buy from retailers such as news agents and off-licences since the legal buying age was raised to 18.”

The co-ordinated initiative is combining its powerful forces to target the trade more closely using shared intelligence, specially established Inland Detection Teams, and state-of-the-art new equipment, such as hand-held scanners which can detect illegal packs of cigarettes and tobacco.

In this war against illicit tobacco, illegal and counterfeit dealers will be tracked down and prosecuted, and could face up to seven years in prison.

Andrea Crossfield, Director of Smokefree North West, said: “Adults need to realise that if they buy cheap illegal tobacco they are supporting a trade run by people who don’t care who they make their profits from, including our children and young people. One of the major incentives behind this initiative is to keep our children protected, healthy and smokefree.“

A recent survey of almost 14,000 young people by Trading Standards North West highlighted how widespread the problem is in the region. Up to half admitted buying fake cigarettes and one in five making purchases from street sellers, neighbours - and even ice-cream vans.

HMRC’s Inland Detection Team Manager for the North West, Graham Forbes, said:- “We see this as a very real and serious issue within local communities. Together with local health and community workers, council officers and the police we are developing co-ordination and enforcement plans to tackle tobacco smuggling and smoking prevalence. We want to encourage people in the community to help us stop this activity – if you know of someone in your area who sells illicit tobacco goods, from their home, workplace or retail outlet then please contact us and help make the streets of the North West safer and healthier.”

Peter Astley, Trading Standards North West’s strategic lead for illicit tobacco, said:- “We are really increasing our ability to wage war on this trade which has links to organised crime as well as creating health risks. Our new regional intelligence and enforcement teams of trading standards professionals are sitting alongside and working with their HMRC colleagues to slash the supply of this tobacco and help to save lives.”

A 16 year old North West smoker has talked of their experience with illicit tobacco.

The teenager said:- “I started smoking when I was about 12 and I used to buy cigarettes illegally. Instead of paying £4.80 for a packet, I could easily get them for £2.50 – either from people who approached me when I was out and about or under the counter in sunbed shops.

Sometimes these were fake and tasted a lot stronger.

I’ve heard they can contain things you would never think would be in cigarettes.

I’ve seen people selling ciggies to kids as young as 10 and I think it’s a bad way to try and make money.”