POLICE CRACKDOWN ON DRUGS - SEFTON, NORTH LIVERPOOL AND KNOWSLEY

MORE than one hundred Merseyside Police Officers have raided 20 properties in Sefton, Knowsley and north Liverpool early on Thursday, 25 March 2010, in a large-scale crackdown on organised drug dealing and other criminality.

Shortly before 7am, 20 teams simultaneously executed search warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act at houses in Bootle, Litherland, Walton and Whiston, following information from the local community.

The search teams, who were supported by dog patrols and neighbourhood policing teams, made a total of 17 arrests for a variety of suspected offences, including possession of Class A controlled drugs with intent to supply.

The raids were the culmination of a nine-month operation aimed at gathering intelligence on suspected drug-dealers and suppliers in Sefton and north Liverpool and disrupting their criminal activities and those of their associates. Throughout the nine-month operation, police recovered over two hundred street deals of crack cocaine and herion. Significant quantities of cannabis were also seized in the raids and searches on Thursday, 25 March 2010.

Superintendent Nicola Holland, on Thursday, 25 March 2010, said:- "These raids are a culmination of months of hard work by officers and demonstrate Merseyside Police's absolute determination and commitment to disrupting and arresting people involved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs on the streets of Sefton, Liverpool and Knowsley. The people who deal or handle class A drugs do not care about the misery their illegal activities cause to communities. Whether it is a person becoming addicted to the drugs they have been sold becoming involved in low-level crime to fuel their addiction, or the violent disputes that can occur between rival dealers, it is a blight on our communities that the police will not tolerate. These arrests will have severely disrupted this kind of behaviour, with 17 people currently in custody and a large amount of crack cocaine and heroin seized and confiscated during the operation, ready for destruction. It also shows law-abiding people who care about their communities that the police can and will take action when we receive valuable information from them as we have done in this operation."

A further 16 people where then arrested by Merseyside Police on Monday, 29 March 2010, in another large-scale crackdown on the organised drug dealing and other criminality in Sefton, Knowsley and north Liverpool.

The 15 men and one woman have all been arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply after officers executed search warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act at houses across Bottle, Litherland and Anfield.

This action follows on from a series of raids on Thursday morning when more than 100 officers executed warrants at 20 properties in Bootle, Litherland, Walton and Whiston following information from the local community.

The search teams, who were supported by dog patrols and neighbourhood policing teams, made a total of 16 arrests resulting
in 13 men and one woman being charged with drugs-related offences and two men being bailed pending further enquiries.

The raids are the culmination of a nine-month operation aimed at gathering intelligence on suspected drug-dealers and suppliers in Sefton and north Liverpool and disrupting their criminal activities and those of their associates.

Throughout the nine-month operation police have recovered more than 200 street deals of crack cocaine and heroin. Significant quantities of cannabis were also seized in the raids on Thursday.

Superintendent Nicola Holland, the added on Monday, 29 March 2010 that:- "We are committed to stamping out the illegal drug-dealing activities that cause misery to the lives of so many. Those who deal or handle class A drugs do not care about the consequences that their actions have on communities and the police will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. These arrests, along with those made on Thursday, will have severely disrupted the activities of those involved in the drugs trade and shows law-abiding people who care about their communities that the police can and will take action when we receive valuable information from them as we have done in this operation."

Anyone with information about drug dealing can call Crimestoppers anonymously on:- 0800 555 111.