Merseyside Police arrested 13 people and seized drugs and cash during a day of activity in Sefton

Merseyside Police arrested 13 people and seized drugs and cash during a day of activity in Sefton yesterday (Wednesday 25 September 2019).

Operation Vermont uses officers from across the force to focus on community issues, and yesterday it supported the ongoing work of Operation Target to tackle serious and violent crime on Merseyside.

Officers from targeted teams, roads policing officers and community officers, headed into Sefton - in Bootle, Litherland, Seaforth, Netherton, Crosby, Formby and Southport - alongside mounted officers. Five search warrants were executed, stop searches carried out and areas of land searched.

A total of 12 males were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences and one woman was arrested on suspicion of theft.

A quantity of white powder and cannabis were discovered during a search of a house in Bootle, and a Lexmoto motorbike suspected of being stolen was found in the back yard. An 18-year-old man from Bootle was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs.

In Crosby, cannabis, cannabis resin, drugs paraphernalia and cash were seized during a house search and a 22-year-old man from Crosby was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.

A 24-year-old man and 23-year-old from Formby were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug and possession of a Class A drug after a warrant was executed at a property in Formby, where cannabis, mobile phones, cash and drugs paraphernalia were recovered.

Following community intelligence, a land search was carried out at the park off Lunt Road, Bootle and a hammer and evidence of drugs being stored there were discovered.

Officers out on patrol in uniform and plain clothes disrupted suspects dealing drugs in the Knowsley Road area, where 28 stop searches were carried out and an 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug. A further four males – aged 16, 18, 23 and 42 – were arrested on suspicion of possession of a Class B drug.

Officers also witnessed a woman stealing cheese and cider from Tesco and a 42-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of theft.

Op Servator officers were deployed at train stations in South Sefton conducting 10 stop searches under the Misuse of Drugs Act, and arresting a 16-year-old and 17-year-old male on suspicion of possession of a Class B drug.

Police conducting road checks issued three taxi licensing suspensions, as well as conditional offers and elsewhere a stolen scooter was seized from a property in Bootle and a Rolls Royce Ghost car was recovered causing an obstruction in Southport. A stolen motorbike was also located in a garage in Aintree.

Another man, aged 35, was arrested on a no bail warrant and charged with breach of bail.

Chief Inspector Matt Moscrop said: “Yesterday’s activity has given some very positive results, and disrupted those people we suspect of using the streets of Sefton to peddle drugs, engage in violence and steal other people’s property.”

“This activity was a result of intelligence we have gathered, much of it from members of the community who have a vital role to play in letting us know where offenders are operating and what they are up to.”

“I hope it provides some reassurance to the community to see that we take serious action when we are informed of any criminality. I also hope it sends a clear message to anyone intent on bringing fear and harm to Sefton that we will devote significant resources from across the force to arrest them, and seize their drugs and ill-gotten gains.”

"I encourage anyone who has information about criminality in their neighbourhoods to contact us so that we may take this type of positive action and make the streets of Sefton 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.