Nine Held In Cross-Border Drugs Operation

16 October 2014, 15:25

Nine people have been arrested as part of a cross-border operation to tackle large-scale drug supply across the UK.

Three men were arrested during dawn raids in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire, two women and two men in Merseyside, and another two men were arrested while in prison in northern England.

The operation was led by Titan, the regional organised crime unit for the north west of England, and involved officers from Police Scotland and Merseyside Police.

Officers used warrants to search properties in Springburn and Parkhead in Glasgow, as well as one in Muirhead in North Lanarkshire.

It was a co-ordinated swoop with six more searches being carried out in areas of Merseyside.

Police said the arrests came as a result of a Titan investigation into the supply of cocaine, heroin and amphetamine from the north west of England into other parts of the UK.

Detective Superintendent Jason Hudson, head of operations at Titan, said: "Today's arrests should strike a major blow to organised crime groups both here in our region and elsewhere in the UK.

"Our operation has uncovered large amounts of illegal drugs being supplied by criminals from the North West to their counterparts in other towns and cities elsewhere in the UK.

"These drugs cause great damage to our communities, fuelling violent and acquisitive crime, causing addiction and ruining lives."

All nine people are now in police custody at various police stations across the north west of England, where they will be questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, police said.

Detective Inspector Graeme Lindsay, of Police Scotland's Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit, said: "We are delighted to have worked jointly with Titan on today's operation. Tackling organised crime is a very high priority for Police Scotland, and I hope today's operation sends yet another warning signal to those involved in it that we will do everything we can to continue to identify them and deal with them appropriately.

"Our partnership with organisations such as Titan seeks to strengthen our capability to tackle such crime, share intelligence and assist in operations like the one today. We will continue to relentlessly pursue individuals involved in organised crime."

The three men arrested in Glasgow are aged 27, 29 and 53.

The two women arrested in England are aged 31 and 35, the two men arrested in prison are 38 and 43, and the other two men are 32 and 35.