Six suspects have been named after coordinated raids yesterday into a large-scale drug dealing probe during which £200,000 of cocaine was found.
Police swooped on homes in Wirral in the early hours of Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into a suspected organised crime gang.
Cash and jewellery, including a Rolex watch, and clothes were also seized in the strikes in Eastham, Bebington and Birkenhead following a 10-month covert operation by officers.
The two kilograms of the Class A drug had previously been found by police investigating a suspected organised crime group, which started last November.
Cannabis has now been seized too.
Today, police confirmed they had charged six people, five men and a woman, on charges of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
They are:
- Liam Richard Bradley, 29, of Temple Road, Prenton
- Thomas Willis, 28, of no fixed address
- Mark Fitzpatrick, 41, of Borough Road, Birkenhead
- Gary Andrews, 46, of Priory Wharf, Birkenhead
- Stephanie Jones, 38, of New Ferry Road, New Ferry
- Gary Clare, 58, of Ethel Road, Wallasey
They were remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court this morning.
A 31-year-old woman, from Prenton, who was arrested on suspicion of money laundering has been released pending further enquires.
Detective Inspector Matt Caton said: "We completely understand the impact that serious organised crime has on the law-abiding members of the communities in which such offenders operate.
“I want to reassure those residents who might have seen [yesterday] morning's activity that we will keep working alongside them to disrupt and apprehend those people who we suspect are bringing intimidation, threat and harm to their streets.
“The key to any successes we have is information from those communities. It is often information from a member of the public that can kick start an investigation that can then uncover a network of drug dealers and spare many more people from the misery they bring.
“So I would urge anyone with information to keep coming forward, either directly to police or through the charity Crimestoppers, which is completely independent of police.
“No-one should have to put up with drug dealing in their area and the associated crime it attracts. We will continue to work together with our communities to improve their quality of life and make those communities stronger."
Anyone with information on issues affecting your community is asked to contact @MerPolCC, call 101 or Crimestoppers UK anonymously on 0800 555 111. You can also follow @WirralPolice on Facebook or @MerPolWirral on Twitter for news, crime prevention advice and events in your area.
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