£1.5m in drugs seized and nearly 500 arrests made in Wirral crackdown
Two-year EVOLVE Wirral operation delivers "major blow" to serious organised crime
Nearly £1.5 million in suspected Class A and B drugs have been seized and 486 arrests made over the last 12 months in Wirral’s Beechwood, Ballantyne, Noctorum and Woodchurch areas, as part of a major crackdown on serious and organised crime.
The Clear, Hold, Build initiative, known locally as EVOLVE Wirral, is backed by the Home Office and has been working to disrupt criminal networks, rebuild affected communities and deter future gang involvement. The Build phase of the project was launched on 18th May 2023 following the tragic murder of Elle Edwards on 24th December 2022.
Since then, police and partners have made significant progress. A total of 111 offenders have been sentenced to 294 years in prison, with seizures including 26 weapons, 12 firearms, £485,000 in cash, and nearly £1m in suspected Class A drugs alongside £600,000 worth of cannabis. Authorities have also safeguarded 23 adults and 12 children, and Trading Standards removed £15,000 worth of illegal tobacco, vapes and cash from circulation.
Wirral Local Policing Superintendent Matthew Moscrop said the work is long-term and transformative:
“EVOLVE Wirral is a long-term project where police and partners are committed to making a significant difference to the lives of residents and generations to come, as well as bring about a change in attitude to those thinking about becoming involved in gang-related activity.”
“A huge amount of cash and drugs have been taken out of the hands of criminals and we are continuing to see a year-on-year reduction in serious and organised crime, which is extremely positive.”
“However, we are not complacent... To have the greatest impact we need to be working together with residents, community groups and partners.”