Merseyside drugs raid: 23 arrested across UK suspected of supplying heroin and other drugs from Liverpool base

Granada
Liverpool
Drugs
Raids
Thursday 18 June 2015 at 10:15am

Police have arrested 23 people suspected of distributing Class A drugs including heroin in a series of drug and firearms raids across the UK.

Teams of officers in Liverpool carried out raids across several areas of the city resulting in the arrests of 15 men.

Credit: Merseyside Police

On top of the ten detained on Merseyside there were 8 more arrests in South Wales, Devon and Cornwall.

12 of the men detained in Merseyside were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

2 more men in Liverpool were arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. 1 man was arrested for cultivation of cannabis alone.

Credit: Merseyside Police

The raids were the result of a long investigation into the widespread supply of heroin from Merseyside to other parts of England and Wales.

Officers in Liverpool recovered half a kilogram of crack cocaine, a number of cannabis plants at two addresses, £50,000 in cash and three high-value watches worth around £100,000.

Credit: Merseyside Police

Detective Superintendent Chris Green from Merseyside Police said:

“The action taken by police officers this morning 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 Liverpool to other towns and cities." “Class A drugs blight the lives of the people who become addicted to them and the lives of people living in the communities where drug dealers and organised crime groups operate." “Such criminals seem to think they can live outside of the law and simply enjoy the trappings of wealth, even if that wealth has come from drugs. Our message to them is that you cannot escape justice and here in Merseyside we will work with other law enforcement agencies to relentlessly go after people 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.” >

Police say searches are ongoing at a number of properties in Merseyside.

All of those arrested have been taken to police stations where they will be questioned by detectives.