Five Arrested In Raids
Five people including a 16 year old boy have been arrested following dawn raids in Sefton. The operation has been organised in response to information received from the community regarding criminality in the area. Officers searched addresses in Kirkby, Melling, Maghull and Bootle this morning.
A 23-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man from Kirkby were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs.
An 18 year-old from Melling was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs; a 16 year-old male from Maghull was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs and a 24 year-old man from Bootle was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and robbery.
Searches are on-going at the properties and officers have already recovered a quantity of Class B drugs and drugs paraphernalia. Working alongside partners including Sefton council the force has co-ordinated a range of supplementary action and initiatives aimed at improving the local area and engaging with the community, whilst targeting those believed to be involved in gun and gang crime.
Superintendent Claire Richards said: "Today’s activity is about disrupting criminal activity and showing the many decent people, who live in areas where gun and gang crime has been an issue, that we will continue to take action against those involved in this type of criminality.
“Information from our communities is vital in helping us to build up evidence and take robust action against those who are causing misery on our streets through fear and intimidation and the use of firearms.
“It is vital that the local community provides us with information about those involved in serious and organised crime and the use of firearms.
“We will relentlessly pursue those we suspect are involved in serious and organised crime. We will continue to work with other agencies to make life as difficult as possible for those involved in this type of criminality.
"Clearly the use of firearms is of great concern to the community, as it is to us. There will be an increased uniform presence in the area and I would encourage anyone with concerns to talk to those officers, or their dedicated neighbourhood team.
"We remain committed to disrupting all illegal activity and organised criminality, but cannot do this without the help of the local community. Information from the public is vital for us in the fight against organised criminality and gun crime and I would appeal to anyone who has information to talk to us. If you do not wish to talk to us directly you can always call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. We can't do this without the community and we need you to continue to give us information. We do not care how the information is provided only that it is provided.”