Cheshire Constabulary joins forces with North Wales Police for joint operation

Cheshire Constabulary and North Wales Police have joined forces for an operation targeting criminality across the two areas.

On Thursday 28 November officers in Chester, Cheshire, and Flintshire, North Wales, took part in Operation Liberator which was launched with the aim of targeting serious and organised crime across the border between the two counties.

The operation allowed partners from several organisations to work together to tackle and disrupt criminality, including those travelling between Flintshire and Chester, while providing a reassuring presence for the public and business owners. 

The activities taking place in Chester included:

• Passive drugs dogs were deployed in the city centre, including at Chester Railway Station.
• Trading Standards visits were carried out at stores in Chester, utilising a specialist search dog courtesy of Trading Standards who searched for illicit cigarettes.
• The Safer Streets van was in the city centre to provide crime prevention and safety advice.
• The Cyber Crime Team was also in the city centre engaging with the public.
• The Cheshire Police Rural Crime Team deployed with the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team.
• The Roads and Crime Team was deployed to the Cheshire/North Wales border to target cross border criminals.
• Licensing visits took place in partnership with Cheshire Fire and Rescue service to check premises were compliant with licensing conditions and fire regulations.
• Taxi licensing was carried out in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, involving stop checks of taxis to ensure they were complying with regulations.
• The North West Underwater Search Unit was deployed to Garden Lane canal bridge for a proactive search of the canal for any illegal items that may have been discarded. They also carried out a patrol of the canal to provide a reassuring presence and deter any criminality.

Over the course of the day, between the two police forces, there was a total of 12 arrests, 22 stop searches, more than 60 vehicles stopped, and a significant seizure of illegal cigarettes and vapes. There was also a total of five immigration arrests, five vehicle seizures, and six Traffic Offence Reports.

Inspector James Wilson, of Chester Local Policing Unit, Cheshire Police, said:

“The operation was a great success with multiple arrests, stop searches, and seizures.

“Throughout the day we used a whole host of tactics to disrupt criminal activity in Chester, but it is important to note that we use these regularly as part of our everyday policing tactics.”

Inspector Wes Williams, of North Wales Police said:

“Operation Liberator is an operation launched to tackle serious and organised crime across North Wales and Cheshire, where we’re working with partners, such as Immigration, Trading Standards, and Licensing.

“The day was about reassuring the public that we are out there, we’re available, and we’ll continue to run these operations on a regular basis to ensure we’re supporting our communities.”

Inspector Wilson added:

“Going forwards, these regular operations will be an excellent opportunity to highlight that we work closely with our cross-border colleagues in North Wales, as well as our partners here in Cheshire.

“As demonstrated, we are committed to doing all we can to tackle criminal behaviour head-on and ensure the Cheshire/North Wales border remains a hostile place for criminals.”