Drugs probe sees 13 arrested - Lancashire Evening Post

Thirteen people have been arrested today as part of a drugs conspiracy probe spanning Lancashire, Merseyside and Scotland.

Arrests were made across Lancashire and Merseyside in a series of co-ordinated strikes this morning.

Officers raided at addresses in Heysham, Croston, Lostock Hall, Banks, Rufford, and Hesketh Bank as well as addtresses in Merseyside including Southport, Bootle, Walton, and Liverpool.

They are quizzing a 35-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man - both from Croston; a 30-year-old man from Banks and a 34-year-old man from Hesketh Bank.

Also arrested are a 43 year old man from Bootle; a 47 year old man from Walton; a 31 year old man from Liverpool; a 31 year old man from HMP Walton, two men agede 23 and 32 from Merseyside and three men from Skelmersdale aged 33, 43 and 36.

All are being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to Supply Class A and Class B drugs.

Det Chief Insp Neil Ashton, of Lancashire Constabulary's Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: "This morning's raids are part of an on-going investigation into the activities of a suspected organised crime group and a drugs supply chain that has seen cocaine and cannabis being moved across, and sold in, Lancashire, Merseyside and Scotland."

"The activities of serious and organised criminals can have a dramatic effect on our communities.

"It can ruin lives, fuel other crime, such as burglary and robbery, and can instil fear in our neighbourhoods. Lancashire Constabulary is committed to tackling organised crime and we would ask that communities help us in doing this.

"It is vital that people continue to provide the police with information so that we can keep them safe and look for ways to prevent organised crime groups from operating in the future."

Anyone with any information should call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.