Four people have been arrested today in a joint police operation targeting county lines drug dealing.
Officers say the arrests show forces across the country are working closely together to tackle this issue – and the impact of Covid-19 does not stop police targeting people suspected of dealing drugs or exploiting the vulnerable.
Three men and a woman are in custody following warrants executed in Barrow and Liverpool at about 7.30am in an operation carried out jointly by Cumbria and Merseyside police.
Detective Inspector Paddy McDonnell, of Cumbria Police, is leading the operation.
He said: “This morning officers from Cumbria and Merseyside police carried out warrants at two properties, in Barrow and Liverpool.
“The warrants were conducted as part of our ongoing efforts to tackle the supply of Class A drugs from Liverpool to Barrow using the county lines method of drug dealing.
“The investigation as a whole has seen considerable communication between the two forces.
“It is a good example to people involved in this criminality how these efforts to work together more effectively lead to arrests.
“The arrests also show that despite the impact of Covid-19 across the country, police are still targeting criminals who exploit many of the most vulnerable people.”
The warrants were executed at Earle Street, Barrow and an address in Merseyside.
Those arrested in Barrow were a man, 45, of Barrow, and a man, 35, of Merseyside.
Those arrested in Merseyside were a man, 26, and a woman, 26.
All were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
They remain in custody today (April 16).