A suspect was rugby tackled to the ground after fleeing police during a major operation targeting drug dealers.
The “runner” was captured after the dramatic intervention from a detective inspector in the middle of rush hour traffic.
It came as 39 people were arrested and a gun was seized as Merseyside Police took to the streets of Devon.
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Officers from Merseyside were involved in a series of raids carried out in Plymouth this week.
The city’s drugs trade is heavily influenced by criminals from the region, with well-established networks peddling cocaine and heroin sold on their behalf or supplied to local firms.
South coast towns and cities including Plymouth, Torquay and Exeter are common target markets for County Lines gangs, who direct dealers on the ground from their bases in Merseyside via lucrative ‘graft’ phone lines.
As policing tactics against such operations have developed, Merseyside Police is increasingly sending its own officers and force marked vehicles to places that fall under the sphere of influence of Liverpool dealers and suppliers - the North Wales and Lancashire coastlines and Cumbria among them.
It is hoped the high visibility of Merseyside Police in these areas serves as a warning to dealers and couriers from the region that their exploits are being watched.
This was the case when Merseyside Police joined Devon and Cornwall Police for raids in Plymouth this week.
Forty six suspects were arrested over the course of two days, Plymouth Live reported.
Heroin, cocaine, crack, cannabis and Spice, nearly £10,000 in cash along with ten vehicles including an Audi and a Saab were seized alongside weapons that included a baseball bat, a butterfly knife, a zombie knife, three more large knives, a knuckle duster and a crossbow.
Among the suspects arrested was Michael McLean, of Victoria Place in the Stoke area of Plymouth, who was taken to Charles Cross police station and interviewed by detectives involved in Operation Medusa - Merseyside Police’s dedicated plot to take down County Lines networks.
On Tuesday, he appeared at Plymouth Magistrates' Court charged with five offences - possession with intent to supply 24 grams of crack cocaine (Class A), possession with intent to supply 108.62 grams of cannabis (Class B) and possession with intent to supply 13.8 grams diamorphine (Class A).
The 30-year-old also faces charges of possession of criminal property - namely cash - and possession of an imitation firearm - a silver 357 Magnum revolver - with the intent to cause persons fear of violence.
That followed the seizure of an imitation handgun during the operation.
McLean was remanded into custody by magistrates and he will next appear at Plymouth Crown Court on April 4 for a preliminary hearing.
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