Police dog finds man hiding in bushes after car stopped

A police dog found a man from Liverpool hiding in the bushes after a car containing 3kg of cocaine was stopped on the M61. On Tuesday, September 10, a vehicle of interest drove away from Lancashire Police and was later involved in a crash.

In a Facebook post from Lancashire Police's Dog Unit, the force said that the driver ran off, taking a quantity of drugs with him. However, police dog Rufus found him attempting to hide in the bushes along the embankment of the M61.

The drugs were seized. A 57-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

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The incident was one of many highlighted by Lancashire Police as it explained the work of its Road Crime Team. Explaining the work of the team, Assistant Chief Constable Karen Edwards said on Wednesday, September 11: "Set up just over a year ago our roads crime team aims to disrupt criminals who use Lancashire’s roads in their offending.

"Having the team has significantly boosted our ability to tackle offences such as drug-couriering, burglary, money laundering and human trafficking. Huge numbers of arrests have been made by the RCT right across Lancashire, with large seizures of drugs, cash and stolen vehicles made."

Since last year, Lancashire's RCT has made 643 arrests, seized £9m worth of drugs, recovered 215 stolen vehicles and seized £2.3million cash from criminals. The force's Road Crime Team works with colleagues in division, dog unit, the Response Investigation Team and CID, to trace criminals and investigate the crimes they commit.

ACC Edwards added: "In the last 24 hours alone (from Wednesday) notable successes have included us recovering 3kg of cocaine from a car on the M61. The driver tried to run off but was detained with the help of Police Dog Rufus. A 57-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs. He is currently in custody.

"And £35k in cash was found after we stopped a Skoda Superb on the M6. Following a short chase the driver was arrested. A 24-year-old man of no fixed abode was arrested on suspicion of money laundering, dangerous driving, failing to stop, and entering the UK illegally.

"The work of the team has also seen more than 30 people being sent to prison for a total of 80 years, with more on remand and awaiting trial. Significant sentences imposed by the courts after investigations by the RCT include two men being jailed for nine years and 10 months and eight years and eight months, for possession of cocaine with intent to supply in Lancaster.

"In February, a car was stopped on the M55 travelling towards Blackpool, with almost £500,000 worth of cocaine found in the boot. The driver was jailed for 56 months and a seizure of £3m worth of cannabis from a car on the M6 at Forton, led to the driver being sent to prison for two years."