Operation Crossbow: North Wales, Cheshire and Merseyside Police join forces targeting cross border criminals

UPDATE:

A cross border crackdown on crime has been hailed a success in North Wales.

Criminals travelling across the borders between Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales were targeted today as part of Operation Crossbow, aimed at disrupting criminal activity across the region and denying criminals the use of the roads.

In North Wales the operation, which involved scores of officers including more than 30 special constables, focused on Flintshire with the execution of drugs warrants and arrest warrants for people who had failed to appear in court, or were wanted for other crimes. The operation also deployed officers on the county’s roads.  

The local operation resulted in 14 arrests:

• 7 arrested for drug offences
• 3  arrested for failing to appear in court
• 2  arrested for theft
• 1 arrested for possession of indecent images
• 1 arrested for burglary

A total of 152 vehicles were stopped:

• 21  drivers were issued with fixed penalty fines
• 55   other  drivers  were dealt with for motoring offences
• 4 vehicles were seized

Superintendent Sacha Hatchett from North Wales Police said:

“This extensive operation was about using joint resources to make the roads in our region a hostile place for travelling criminals who do harm in our communities.

“It involved three forces and our partners including Driver Vehicles Standards, the Environment Agency, HMRC, the Licensing Authority and Trading Standards.  

“We are grateful to the public for their cooperation and to the local community for the intelligence we receive which helps us to mount such operations.

“I hope  today’s action will reassure the public  that North Wales Police will relentlessly pursue criminals who think it is alright to flout the law and commit crimes in our community.”

FROM EARLIER:

Criminals travelling across the borders between Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales are being targeted today, Wednesday 25 February, as part of Operation Crossbow.

The operation is aimed at disrupting criminal activity across the region and denying criminals the use of the roads.

Superintendent Sacha Hatchett from North Wales Police said:

“This is about using joint resources to make the roads in our region a hostile place for travelling criminals who do harm in our communities.

“We are using dedicated resources and ANPR technology to identify and target criminals using the road network and it is heartening to see our partners, which include Driver Vehicles Standards, the Environment Agency, HMRC, the Licensing Authority and Trading Standards, supporting this extensive police operation.

“The message is clear – you use stolen vehicles, you drive illegally, you travel the roads to commit crime, then we will target you”  

Superintendent Paul Williams from Cheshire Police, said:

“We know that criminals do not simply stop committing crimes when they reach the police border, but instead they rely on the road network to enable them to commit criminal offences across the North West.

“There is a strong link between the illegal use of vehicles and other serious and organised crime, which is why we are working together with our colleagues from Merseyside and North Wales Police, along with partner agencies, to target these criminals as they travel across the region

“Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales Police are committed to working in collaboration to proactively target those who choose to commit crime to fund their lifestyles and operations such as today are set to continue’’.

So Far….

In Flintshire there have been a total of eight arrests during the morning, they include one woman and four men for alleged drug offences.

One man for Possession of cannabis one arrest for failing to appear in court.

One male has been arrested in Wrexham for possession of indecent images as part of the Crossbow operation.