Three arrested after officers smell cannabis from passing van in Prenton

Three men were arrested and drugs seized after officers on patrol noticed a strong smell of cannabis from a passing vehicle in Birkenhead.

At 2pm on Wednesday 2 October, officers in a patrol car on Grange Road West smelled cannabis coming from a silver Ford Transit van as it passed them.

The van was stopped by police and after a search of the vehicle, cropped cannabis plants discovered in the back.

Three men - aged 26 from New Ferry, aged 28 from Bromborough and aged 30 from Rock Ferry - were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled drug (Class B) with intent to supply and production of cannabis.

The 30-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

The three men have been released under investigation.

A search of two properties followed and further cannabis plants and quantities of white powder seized.

Chief Inspector Nicholas Gunatilleke said: “Thanks to the vigilance and determination of our officers, a large quantity of drugs has been taken out of the hands of criminals, who will not now be able to profit from their sale.

“Every drug we seize restricts the ability of organised criminals to line their pockets by exploiting vulnerable people, and we commit significant resources on a daily basis to stop them in their tracks.

“We act on intelligence from the community to execute warrants and search areas of land, and just as in this case, our officers on patrol often find drugs using their own alertness and intuition.

“You can help us to tackle people who deal and store drugs in the heart of our communities in Wirral by direct messaging us on Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC, calling 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”