Huge rise in cash and drugs seized from criminal gangs as Op Warrior success continues at Lancashire Police

Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden has praised Lancashire Police for their success in fighting organised crime through Operation Warrior, the force's operation to deliver on his Police and Crime Plan Priority of disrupting and dismantling organised crime.

Since the launch of the Operation Warrior in November 2022: 

• Arrests of crime gang suspects have gone up by 35%.
• Cash seizures from organised crime gangs have gone up by 103%.
• Jail time for organised crime gang members have gone up by 25%.
• The number of cannabis plants seized have gone up by 250%.
• The amount of class A and B drugs seized is up by 200%. 

Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden said: 

"It is fantastic to see the continuous results delivered by Op Warrior, week in week out.

“I want Lancashire residents to know that we are tackling organised crime at full force and that Lancashire Police will act on information from the public to drive criminals out of our county.

"Thanks to the hard work of our officers, we are seeing more crime gang members arrested, huge quantities of drugs taken off our streets and we are hitting criminals where it hurts by seizing their cash and assets which they gained through criminality, and we are investing that money back into local communities.

"Having joined officers on multiple raids over the years, it is always fantastic to see their hard work pay off and to see these criminals put behind bars where they belong."

Supt Graham Hill, our Head of Serious Crime, said: “Operation Warrior is about tackling serious and organised crime, protecting vulnerable people and making sure OCGs get the message that Lancashire is not a safe haven for them to operate in.

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“Over the past 12 months we have dismantled a number of OCGs in the county, put their members behind bars and taken their cash off them. The latest arrests should send a clear message that this pro-active policing will continue. Anybody looking to engage in illegal activity in our county should expect to see police officers at their door.”

Operation Warrior targets both individuals and gangs involved in crime, as well as associated issues such as violence and intimidation, large scale drug supply, exploitation and fraud, all of which can cause serious harm to local communities.

Anyone with information about organised crime can contact Lancashire Constabulary or report anonymously to independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. Information leading to an arrest could lead to a reward of up to £1,000.