Couple arrested after being intercepted by police whilst driving from Preston to Southport

The pair, a 29-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman from Southport, were arrested in a pre-planned County Lines drugs operation by Merseyside Police.

Their car was followed by unmarked police vehicles as it left Preston for Southport before they were dramatically intercepted on the A565/Southport New Road.

Merseyside Police said the bust was pre-planned and part of its Project Medusa, an operation set up by the force to tackle County Lines drug dealing.

The pair were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in an offer to supply Class A drugs. They were taken to a police station in Merseyside for questioning and their car has been seized.

Detective Inspector Gary Stratton, of Merseyside Police, said: "Project Medusa works across force boundaries and with other teams within Merseyside Police to ensure we make arrests and take potential offenders off our streets.

"County Lines drug dealing blights communities and the lives of those taking drugs and those who are often coerced into dealing them on behalf of organised crime groups.

"Today's arrests are just one example of the work we carry out, day in, day out to target those involved in County Lines and bring them to justice."