Police stormed 11 properties across northern England and Scotland in dawn raids targeting county lines drug gangs today. Five police forces worked together to arrest 46 people on suspicion of drug offences and confiscate a 'significant' amount of Class A drugs and cash.
Inside one address in Liverpool they found £20,000 as a well as an imitation jewellery online india gun and a hoard of mobile phones.
Of those arrested, 36 people were from Merseyside areas, five were from Lancashire, one was from Cumbria and one other was picked up in Scotland.
Another three people were arrested by British Transport Police at train stations and on board trains.
Police also said five 'vulnerable young people' were being safeguarded following the raids.
Police stormed 11 properties across northern England and Scotland in dawn raids today targeting county lines drug gangs (one pictured)
Inside one address in Liverpool they found £20,000 (cash pictured) as a well as an imitation gun and a hoard of mobile phones
A police dog is pictured exposing a large amount of cash in a drawer inside one of the properties
Five police forces worked together to arrest 46 people on suspicion of drug offences and confiscate a 'significant' amount of Class A drugs and cash
The operation was codenamed 'Project Medusa', with Merseyside assistant chief constable Ian Critchley saying: 'Those responsible for these county lines bring misery to our local communities through their drug dealing and they also target and coerce young and vulnerable people into doing their dirty work.
Home Secretary Priti Patel added: 'I've seen first hand the vital work the police are doing to disrupt county lines gangs and it's great to see them continuing to deliver these impressive results.
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'I will not tolerate these abhorrent gangs that exploit children and vulnerable people and we will do everything in our power to tackle this issue head on.'
Mr Critchley said at least 112 people had been arrested and 32 county lines shut down in Merseyside since November.
He added that the raids would hit 'the criminals hard, but when it comes to the young and vulnerable people, who have been criminally exploited, we ensure that they are treated sensitively and with understanding.'
Armed police are pictured preparing to storm one of the 11 properties raided this morning
Officers were forced to break down the door of this property during the dawn raids
Two armed police officers are seen entering one of 11 properties raided as part of a county lines crackdown this morning
The raids cracked down on county lines drug gangs, which exploit young people to push drugs from big cities into more suburban, rural areas