POLICE this morning carried out a series of dawn raids and arrested a number of people in Barrow in a joint operation with officers in Liverpool, Lancashire and the North East.

A total of nine people have been arrested on suspicion of drugs offences, with 14 search warrants being executed.

Police in Barrow raided two properties, leading to two people being arrested.

The operation, led by Merseyside Police, aimed to crackdown on the supply of heroin, cocaine and cannabis from the Liverpool area to other parts of the country.

During the operation, detectives seized both Class A and B drugs, including more than 70kg of cannabis with a street value of more than £1m.

Significant amounts of cocaine and heroin have also been seized, with an estimated street value of more than £250,000.

Superintendent Paul White from Merseyside Police said: "The action taken by police officers this morning in Merseyside and other parts of the UK is a key part of an on-going investigation into a criminal network we suspect of distributing large quantities of Class A drugs from here in Merseyside to other towns and cities.

"The arrest of nine people this morning is the result of a lot of meticulous, hard work by the investigation team.

"Class A drugs blight the lives of the people who become addicted to them. Some addicts can then go on to fund their habit through acquisitive crime, including burglary, theft and robbery, and this has a negative impact on the lives of people living in the communities where drug dealers and organised crime groups operate.

"Criminals involved in the supply and distribution of controlled drugs don't care about the impact that their illicit trade has on decent members of the public, all they care about is the money they can make.

"They think they are untouchable and they live a lifestyle that is beyond their means and often have no legitimate employment to account for the money which pays for their fancy holidays and designer clothes.

"Today, using new legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act we will be looking to seize high value items which we believe have been bought through money made through criminal enterprise, including drug dealing.

"These items will go to auction and the bitter irony, for those involved in serious organised crime on Merseyside, is that nearly 20 per cent of the money raised through the sale of these items will go back in to fighting crime.

"Our message to those involved in drug supply on Merseyside is that you cannot escape justice and there are no borders, we will work with other forces to relentlessly pursue those profiting from serious organised crime.

“No-one should have to put up with drug dealing and the associated violence and gun crime it often brings.

"We will work with our communities to improve the quality of life for decent, law-abiding people and I would urge people to keep helping us do that by reporting any drug dealing or gun crime to the police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."