Merseyside Police has arrested 39 people and seized cash, drugs and stolen property during Operation Vanguard, a series of raids carried out across the region on 12 November.
The force executed 23 warrants this morning, followed by visits to named suspects later in the day, when further arrests were made.
Offences and Seizures
Suspects were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences including rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse, wounding, robbery, drug possession and supply, handling stolen goods, drink driving and drug driving.
Items seized by police included a BB gun, suspected stolen e-bikes, half a kilo of cocaine, £25,000 in cash, two Rolex watches and six Audemars Piguet watches.
Operation Details
The operation follows three previous Operation Vanguard days, two of which focused on specific areas of Merseyside. Today has seen the second successive deployment across all areas of the region.
In total, 220 Merseyside Police officers and staff were involved in today's operation, with officers deployed to Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St Helens and Knowsley.
Police Statement
Chief Constable Rob Carden said: "Operation Vanguard brings together a significant number of officers using a wide range of tactics to send a clear message to criminals: Merseyside Police will not tolerate criminality. If you are involved in crime, you are not welcome in our communities. The scale of today’s activity demonstrates our determination to tackle offending and protect people from the harm it causes."
A spokesperson for the force added: "If you have any information which could help us to prevent criminality in your area, let us know so that we can take action and ensure our communities can enjoy their local areas safely."
