Nineteen people have been named and charged following a series of drugs raids across Lancashire.

As part of Operation Warrior, police raided properties in Blackpool, St Annes, Lytham, Fleetwood and Greater Manchester over the last seven days, and seized cocaine, cannabis, cash, mobile phones and weapons.

As a result of the pro-active raids, officers arrested 26 people and have since charged 19 of them with conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and money laundering.

All were remanded into custody and have since appeared before magistrates.

The 19 charged are:

  • Chad James, 35, of no fixed address
  • Mark McGovern 60, of Ingleway Avenue, Leyton
  • Tony Johnson, 35, of Horncliffe Road, Blackpool
  • Peter James, 63, of Scarsdale Avenue, Blackpool
  • Sean Norbury, 35, of Vernon Avenue, Blackpool.
  • Dean O'Hara, 28, of Coopers Way, Blackpool
  • Adam Walker, 36, of Laundry Road, Blackpool
  • Andrew Walsh, 60, of Greystone Place, Blackpool
  • Nicola Sharples, 31, of Lytham Road, Blackpool
  • Robert Rotheray, 65, of George Street, Southend on Sea
  • Mark Harris, 30, of Woodlands Road, Ansdell
  • Christian Jarvis, 32, of Priory Mews, Lytham
  • Archie Fowler, 47, of Carshalton Road, Blackpool
  • Jake Barrett, 25, of Rosebank Avenue, Blackpool
  • Branden Vaughn, 30, of Ashley Rd, St Annes
  • Shaun Drinkwater, 41, of Seabourne Ave, Blackpool
  • John Green, 41, of Brodick Drive, Bolton
  • Simon Price, 32, of Ashbury Close, Bolton
  • Mark Senior, 32, of Willowbank Avenue, Blackpool

The following people arrested as part of the investigation have been released on bail pending further enquiries:

  • A 37-year-old man from Wesham
  • A 41-year-old man from Fleetwood
  • A 48-year-old man from Fleetwood
  • A 50-year-old man from Prestwich
  • A 32-year-old man from Bromley Cross
  • A 57-year-old man from Prestwich
  • A 37-year-old man from Blackpool.

Operation Warrior is our response to tackling serious and organised crime in Lancashire and delivering on Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden's Fighting Crime Plan priority of disrupting and dismantling organised crime.

Between January and December 2023, police arrested 1,209 as part of Operation Warrior.

The people who were sentenced in that period received a total of 608 years and five months in custody.

Officers also seized 258.9kgs of class A drugs, 57kgs of class B drugs, 17,794 cannabis plants and £1.34 million in cash.

A total of 237 children and 132 adults were safeguarded from organised crime groups, or OCGs.

Supt Graham Hill, 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.

“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.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden said: "Operation Warrior is the constabulary's response to my Police and Crime Plan priority of disrupting and dismantling organised crime.

"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.

"Targeted operations like this take meticulous planning, from gathering intelligence, to putting doors through, and making arrests, and these latest results are clear evidence of the fantastic work of our local officers.

"I want to thank Lancashire residents for their continued support, and I hope that seeing these results encourages them to continue to report suspicious activity, either directly to the police or anonymously to Crimestoppers."

If you are aware of illegal activity in your area report it via 101. If a crime is in progress, always call 999.