FIVE suspected criminals were arrested after police monitored 'virtually every vehicle that crossed between Cheshire, Manchester and Merseyside'.

Cheshire Police led operation which was aimed at disrupting criminal activity across the region and denying criminals the use of the roads.

Inspector Steve Griffiths said: “We are relentless in our pursuit of organised crime and will use a host of tactics to disrupt criminals working in our region.

“Criminals do not simply stop committing crimes when they reach the police border, but instead they rely on the road network to enable them to commit criminal offences."

More than 30 officers from Cheshire Police took part in last night’s operation, assisted by officers from Greater Manchester and Merseyside Police.

By using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras officers were able to monitor virtually every vehicle that crossed between the three counties.

The operation resulted in 13 traffic offence reports issued for a variety of offences, including speeding and driving without due care and attention and five people arrested for offences including three people suspected of being involved in burglary in Frodsham.

Three vehicles were seized and one person issued with a warning for possession of a small quantity of cannabis

David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire said: “Operations like this are key to catching those criminals who think they can simply use our roads as a quick and easy way of committing crime.

“I’d like to commend the excellent partnership work of officers from the three neighbouring forces who are working together on a regular basis to tackle organised crime and make the whole North West region a much safer place.”