Wirral's independent local news website
Working alongside other forces and partners, Merseyside Police carried out activity during County Lines Intensification Week, as part of regional and national action to tackle the issue.
Co-ordinated by the force’s Project Medusa team, the intensification week (which ran from 11-17 October) included operations, warrants, visits to vulnerable people and saw our officers travel to North Wales, Shropshire, Cheshire and Cumbria.
Merseyside Police has confirmed that during the week of action:
Some of the notable activity is below:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Throughout the week, officers visited addresses across Merseyside, with Local Authority partners, suspected of being used for cuckooing. A number of tenants were safeguarded as a result.
A large number of school children were visited by officers and partners across the force, to discuss how to spot if someone is being exploited by County Lines criminals and how they can get help.
Detective Superintendent Andy O’Connor said, “This week’s activity is just a snapshot of the work Project Medusa and officers across the force do, day in day out to tackle County Lines.
“As a force we are committed to working alongside partners and other forces to cut these County Lines, protect and safeguard vulnerable people. We will relentlessly target those crime groups who cowardly exploit vulnerable people in our communities.
“Through Project Medusa, we work with other forces, BTP and local authorities and agencies to target offenders and protect victims. Since Project Medusa began its work in 2019, officers have made more than 1200 arrests, closed over 370 County Lines, recovered £1.3 million in cash and removed around 50KG of cocaine and heroin from our streets.
“We cannot stop this criminality alone, we need to continue our work with partners and we need the public’s help. It’s vital that everyone who cares for or knows young and vulnerable people understands the issue and knows the warning signs.”
Read more here about the Eyes Open campaign, introduced by Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership: https://www.eyes-open.co.uk
You can also report any concerns to police on 999 if a crime is in progress, via 101, or our social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC.
You can also pass information via the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org