A car, cash and cocaine and heroin have been seized by police after County Lines raids across Liverpool, Runcorn and Cumbria.
Police also confirmed they arrested seven suspected dealers, six men and a woman, after the action on Wednesday.
The raids were part of a crackdown on County Lines drug gangs.
County Lines are networks run by city gangs who attempt to take over the drugs market in other towns and cities, sometimes peddling misery hundred of miles from their base.
Merseyside Police confirmed today that officers from the force’s Project Medusa team have arrested seven people following what it termed "a joint Merseyside Police and Cumbria Constabulary investigation into County Lines drug dealing into the Barrow-In-Furness area".
The raids saw a Jaguar car, suspected heroin and cocaine and "a significant quantity of cash" seized.
The operation included a a pre-planned stop of a car in Kirkby.
Officers arrested a 31-year-old man from Runcorn and a 34-year-old woman from Anfield on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Police also put doors in at addresses in Cumbria, Runcorn, Anfield and Kirkby as part of the investigation, where five further arrests were made:
• A 23-year-old man from Kirkby – arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A
• A 19-year-old man from Wavertree – arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply
• A 17-year-old from Kirkby - arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply
• Two men from Cumbria, aged 31 and 34 – arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A
All have been taken to police stations on Merseyside, where they continue to be questioned.
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Detective Inspector Gary Stratton: “Project Medusa is dedicated to cutting these County Lines dead and as this investigation has shown, regional boundaries do not matter. We work with partners in other forces to trace those responsible and help those who may be exploited by these organised criminal gangs.
“Ultimately everyone should be warned that if you get involved in crime, you risk facing the consequences. But when we identify vulnerable, exploited people during our enquiries, we ensure they are treated with sensitivity and understanding, and are offered the appropriate support. Our primary target is those who seek to use them for their own selfish gain.”
You can report concerns to police on 999 if a crime is in progress, via 101, or via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre'.
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/give-information/give-information.
