Operation Crossbow highlights

 

A total of 11 arrests were made as part of Operation Crossbow – a joint day of action between North Wales Police, Cheshire Constabulary and the British Transport Police tackling cross-border criminality.

The high-visibility operation across Wrexham, Flintshire and Chester on Wednesday, March 8^th saw more than 200 officers from all three forces disrupting criminals using the border’s main arterial routes.

Following a briefing at Chester Football Club, a convoy of police vehicles made their way en-masse across the Flintshire Bridge, before heading to key locations to target criminals using the border’s main arterial routes.

Many took up strategic positions, while others ensured vehicles linked to criminality or operating on the roads illegally were stopped and searched, with Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras used to intercept vehicles known to the police.

While British Transport Police were out monitoring railway stations, a number of warrants were also being executed across both force areas under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

The operation had a specific focus on County Lines activity in which the most vulnerable people, including children and young people are exploited, and an intention to send a strong warning to anyone associated with or linked to serious and organised crime.

Overall, the operation resulted in:

• 11 arrests for various offences
• Three warrants executed where a stolen motorbike was located and a sword and drugs were recovered
• A cannabis farm consisting of 84 plants located and one suspect arrested
• 75 Traffic Offence Reports issued 
• 65 speeding offences reported
• 14 fixed penalty notices issued
• 30 taxi licencing checks conducted resulting in warnings issued and two prosecutions
• Knife Sweeps carried out at three locations in Flintshire in partnership with students from Deeside’s Coleg Cambria where drugs paraphernalia was located and seized to support local intelligence
• Six visits to cuckooed addresses conducted and vulnerable people spoken with
• 18 members of the homeless community engaged with, resulting in eight partnership signposting and referrals
• More than 30 intelligence submissions
• Partnership work with Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement Officers who conducted visits to various premises suspected to be linked with criminal activity
• Three drone deployments
• Various community engagement activities

 

Chief Inspector Caroline Mullen-Hurst of North Wales Police said: “By combining resources, intelligence and enforcement powers of the police and partner agencies for this day of action, we achieved our main objective of working closely with our colleagues in Cheshire Constabulary and British Transport Police to disrupt criminals who rely on the roads and rail network to commit offences.

“Criminality is a scourge on our communities, and we will continue to work together and relentlessly pursue those who cause misery.

“I hope the results demonstrate a clear and direct message to those in organised crime and who use our roads and rail network to commit crime, that they are not welcome, and they will be brought to justice.”