On 7 October 2025, armed officers stormed a property in Liverpool, arresting a 29-year-old man from Kirkby on suspicion of supplying crack cocaine and heroin. Crime minister Sarah Jones witnessed the dawn operation, vowing to dismantle the 'evil trade' that exploits vulnerable children to shuttle drugs from urban hubs to rural towns.
With over 1,120 gang leaders charged in the past year and 2,300 deal lines shuttered—the highest takedown since 2019—the operation raises hopes of fracturing organised crime networks. Yet sceptics warn it may merely displace the problem to new, darker shadows.
