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15 charged following raids
across Merseyside, Lancashire, Cleveland and Cumbria
FOLLOWING a crackdown of drugs supply,
a number of raids were carried out in Merseyside, Lancashire, Cleveland and
Cumbria, on 2 March 2017. As a result of the raids Merseyside Police have
informed us that 15 people have now been charged and 2 remain in Police custody.
In addition, a total of £120,000 in cash was seized from various addresses in
Liverpool, together with 2 kilogram's of drugs and around £200,000 worth of
luxury items. These luxury items including cars, Rolex watches, jewellery and
electronic items that might now be sold off in auctions.
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Superintendent Paul White from Merseyside Police said:-
"The action taken by our Officers, in Merseyside and other parts of the UK, is a
key part of an on going investigation into a criminal network we suspect of
distributing large quantities of Class A drugs from here, in Merseyside, to
other Towns and Cities. The arrest of 9 people this morning is the result of a
lot of meticulous, hard work by the investigation team. Class A drugs blight the
lives of the people who become addicted to them. Some addicts can then go on to
fund their habit through acquisitive crime, including burglary, theft and
robbery, and this has a negative impact on the lives of people living in the
communities where drug dealers and organised crime groups operate. Criminals
involved in the supply and distribution of controlled drugs don't care about the
impact that their illicit trade has on decent members of the public, all they
care about is the money they can make. They think they are untouchable and they
live a lifestyle that is beyond their means and often have no legitimate
employment to account for the money which pays for their fancy holidays and
designer clothes. Using new legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act, we will
be looking to seize high value items which we believe have been bought through
money made through criminal enterprise, including drug dealing. These items will
go to auction and the bitter sweet irony, for those involved in serious
organised crime on Merseyside, is that nearly 20% of the money raised through
the sale of these items will go back in to fighting crime. Our message to those
involved in drug supply on Merseyside is that you cannot escape justice and
there are no borders, we will work with other forces to relentlessly pursue
those profiting from serious organised crime. No one should have to put up with
drug dealing and the associated violence and gun crime it often brings. We will
work with our communities to improve the quality of life for decent, law abiding
people and I would urge people to keep helping us do that by reporting any drug
dealing or gun crime to the Police or Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111."
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