Estates across Wirral were targeted by police as they made 18 arrests in one day.
Both plain-clothed and high vis patrols took to the streets around the Beechwood Estate, Woodchurch Estate, Rock Ferry and Tranmere areas in response to concerns raised by residents and ongoing antisocial behaviour.
A 20-year-old man tried to ram a police car on Glenfield Close in a bid to make an escape after it was suspected his vehicle was stolen.
He abandoned the car on Newdales Close but was detained by officers on foot and arrested for drugs and driving offences.
The day of action, part of Operation Target (tackling serious violence), started in the early hours of the morning (Thursday, March 18) when officers conducted three warrants at addresses in Wallasey and Oxton.
A 33-year-old man was found with a catalogue of drugs, cocaine, heroin, ketamine, amphetamine and cannabis.
He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and on suspicion of possession of criminal property following a warrant on Silverbeech Avenue, Wallasey.
Also seized at the property was a number of designer watches, a Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes C Class and cash.
Two men aged 38 and 48 were arrested on suspicion of the production of cannabis and abstracting electricity following a warrant on Hogarth Drive, Oxton.
Officers forced entry where they located a large cannabis farm consisting of around 80 plants. Both men were taken to custody and the Cannabis Dismantling Team seized the plants.
A small amount of cannabis was also seized at the third warrant on Poulton Road, Wallasey.
Four men aged 25, 27, 36, and 37 on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession of an offensive weapon after being stopped on Trafalgar Drive, Bebington. They were searched and found with a baseball bat and two large bags of cannabis.
Others were arrested on a no-bail warrant, production of cannabis and drug driving and 32 others were stop searched.
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Superintendent Martin Earl said the operation was a series of "proactive deployments" shaped by the information from local people.
Police were also stationed at the ferry terminals, working with Customs, North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and Immigration Enforcement Rapid Response Team to identify anyone involved in drug and other criminality.
As a result, a large number of passengers were stopped and spoken to as well as over 40 vehicles searched including a large lorry transporting hay to Belfast.
One car was seized and others were issued with driving tickets. Four men also attempting to travel to Belfast were issued with Covid fines for non-essential travel.
Police also accompanied Merseyside Tunnels Police at Kingsway Tunnel and monitored motorists crossing the border in and out of Wales.
The large operation across the Wirral tackling serious violence was supporting National Child Exploitation Awareness Day.
National Child Exploitation Awareness Day aims to increase public knowledge of what ‘Child Exploitation’ actually is, how you can spot the signs and ways to report your concerns. This is also supported by the Violence Reduction Partnerships Eyes Open campaign.
Superintendent Martin Earl said: "Our aims for these deployments are simple; to tackle serious violence, prevent crime and work with our partners and public to protect vulnerable people.
"It is really important that we work with all our partners, including Wirral Safeguarding Children Partnership to gather intelligence and protect young people who are often more at risk.
"Supporting them as well as victims remains one of our top priorities and alongside partners, we will ensure those most vulnerable in our community are signposted to organisations where they can get most support.
"Not only this, we will continue to pursue anyone involved in serious and organised crime and bring them to justice.
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"These are highly proactive deployments which are shaped by the information we receive from you. So, I would encourage anyone that knows someone involved in crime or is suffering, as a result, to please get in touch.
“By you reaching out to us, this means we can work with our partners in the area more effectively, deploying to problematic places, taking action against those involved in crime and making the community safer for everyone.”
You can call Merseyside Police on 101, DM @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK completely anonymously.
