An alleged crime ring trafficking drugs between Merseyside and North Wales was shattered yesterday after police raids and the arrests of 11 people.
The raids followed a six month long investigation by both North Wales Police and Merseyside Police into a County Lines operation flooding Deeside with crack cocaine and heroin. Seven people were arrested in Wales on Thursday and three in Liverpool on Tuesday.
Two of those arrested in Merseyside have been charged with conspiracy to supply crack and heroin and acquiring or possessing criminal property. Brooke Morgan, 30, of Albany Road, Kensington and Ryan Leonard, 27, of Boaler Street, also in Kensington, are due to make their first appearances in court this morning.
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The suspects in Wales were arrested in raids across Connah's Quay, Shotton, Garden City and Queensferry and are in custody being interviewed by officers. Inspector Darren Wallace, of Merseyside Police, said: “Organised crime is hugely damaging to our communities, often involving intimidation, violence and creating fear and it is these criminals who run County Lines.
"Criminals involved in organised crime have no thought for anyone other than themselves, and their criminal intent and greed. Project Medusa is dedicated to cutting these County Lines dead and as this operation has shown, regional boundaries do not matter. We work with partners in other forces to trace those organised criminals responsible and help those who may be exploited by these gangs."
Senior Investigating Officer at North Wales Police, Detective Inspector Mark Hughes, said: "The arrests made this week are the result of a six-month long investigation undertaken by North Wales and Merseyside officers. Those arrested are suspected of involvement in dealing Class A drugs as part of a wider County Lines network.
"Disrupting drug-related crime remains a key priority for North Wales Police. County Lines activity is a blight on our communities, and often involves vulnerable people being targeted by ruthless criminals. They use the vulnerable to deal their drugs, whilst they sit back and live off the criminal earnings.
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"These arrests provide valuable intelligence on how these gangs operate and will enable us to continue to disrupt drug-dealing networks in North Wales and beyond."
North Wales Inspector Simon Williams offered a broader view of the work being undertaken to tackle County Lines and drug offences within the Flintshire district and throughout North Wales. He said: “I want to emphasise that the strikes made on Flintshire addresses today are not done for quick results and positive headlines.
"They form part of a wider ongoing strategy that will allow us to identify risk and demand within our communities. We will respond to any intelligence that arises as a result of these arrests and be prompt in acting on new lines of enquiry. In the weeks ahead, we aim to make further inroads into drug dealing networks throughout the county and I want to reassure residents that we are working proactively to make our towns and villages safer for everyone.
"As officers, we will seek to engage with communities around these issues later this month and will provide further details of these events in due course."
