Seven arrested on suspicion of drug offences as Lancashire Police continue to crackdown on organised crime

Five of the arrests were made during a series of co-ordinated dawn raids at addresses in Preston, Blackpool and Carnforth on Tuesday (March 28).

Those arrested were:

- a 22-year-old man from Carnforth

- a 41-year-old man from Preston

- a 36-year-old woman from Preston

- two 39-year-old women from Blackpool

All five were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering.

Two men, of no fixed abode, were also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

All seven remained in custody on Tuesday afternoon (March 28).

The arrests were made as part of Operation Warrior – a countywide operation to disrupt and tackle organised crime.

Det Chief Insp James Edmonds, of the Serious Crime Team, said: “I hope that the continued Operation Warrior activity shows how committed we are to tackling serious and organised crime, which is a threat to communities across the county.

“It can take many forms including drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal immigration, fraud and financial crime, counterfeiting, organised acquisitive crime, cybercrime and exploitation, all of which causes misery in our communities.

“Today during a series of raids we made seven more arrests and all seven people remain in custody while enquiries continue.

“We are committed to taking the fight to criminals and will leave no stone unturned when it comes to tackling serious crime.”

Warrants and arrests are taking place on a weekly basis as part of the operation.

A high-profile advertising campaign has also led to more information coming in from members of the public.

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, said: “I made taking the fight to organised crime gangs a top priority in my Fighting Crime Plan and the Constabulary is now delivering it with the full force of the law, with more officers on the front line, who are putting doors in and making arrests.

“Op Warrior is the force-wide operation that is stepping up the pressure in disrupting and dismantling these gangs - and the number of raids, arrests and drug seizures speak for themselves.

“I am also pleased to see an increase in intelligence coming from local neighbourhoods to support the fight against crime since the launch of our Op Warrior media campaign.

“Organised crime gangs are a blight on society as they bring fear, violence, drugs and exploitation into Lancashire and I would encourage anyone who has any information to come forward and report it to the police or anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers.”

Anyone with information can call 101, report it online at doitonline.lancashire.police.uk, or ring 999 in an emergency.

Independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.