Police say a huge operation is underway to “lock down” an area of Anfield in Liverpool as part of a “relentless” offensive targeting criminals.
Operation Vanguard, which involves around 300 officers and staff from Merseyside Police, aims to focus on serious organised crime, domestic abuse, modern day slavery, burglary, robbery and other offences.
The day of action began early on Wednesday when police carried out 14 search warrants during early morning raids.
The operation, which is still ongoing, includes: searches on land and underwater, stopping cars linked to criminals, activity by specialist officers targeting county lines drug dealing and the use of mounted and dog teams, as well as foot patrols.
Officers have not yet revealed details of any arrests or the results of searches.
Chief Constable Rob Carden warned in a statement: “If you are involved in criminality you can expect a knock on your door.
“Our message to criminals is clear – we don’t want them in our communities and we will be relentless in our pursuit of them.”
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The force said the operation will effectively “lock down” the area to allow them to target offenders.
In December, a similar operation was carried out in the Stockbridge Village and Huyton areas, east of Liverpool city centre, and led to 49 arrests.
The leader of Liverpool City Council, Liam Robinson, said the operation was “vital to protecting our neighbourhoods and preventing harm”.
“To those involved in criminality, today’s activity demonstrates that there is no hiding place. The safety and wellbeing of our communities will always come first,” he added.
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Merseyside Police said another programme, also in north Liverpool and which focused on the Everton and Vauxhall areas, has been successful in disrupting serious and organised crime
The EVOLVE Everton-Vauxhall scheme, introduced in January last year, is a Home Office-backed initiative which has delivered more than 115 arrests, and seen the seizures of over 30 weapons, more than 100kg of drugs and nearly £150,000 in cash.
