Suspected illegal immigrants and illicit alcohol sellers were targeted as part of mass police raids this morning.
Eight arrests have been made across Wirral as officers raided convenience stores and off-licences.
The operation, which was run in conjunction with UK Border Agency and Revenue and Customs, followed a 12-month investigation into under-age alcohol sales and subsequent checks into illicit alcohol.
And as a result of today’s raids at 17 business premises, police said they have seized large amounts of cash and identified illegal immigrants.
Ngaire Waine, superintendent for operations in Wirral, said: “Today’s raids were about targeting several licensed premises in Wirral.
"It was based around crime and the criminality surrounding these premises.
"As we investigated under-age sales, we discovered other crimes taking place such as money laundering, the employment of illegal immigrants and illicit alcohol.
“The concern with alcohol such as this is not just the fact that duty hasn’t been paid on it but it is potentially unsafe for consumers as there can be traces of lead in it.
"It also affects other small businesses in the area because they cannot compete with them and therefore cannot trade.
"This operation also addresses the issue of anti-social behaviour in that young people who are drinking can get hold of very cheap alcohol and go on to commit crimes.
“Illicit alcohol sales and employing illegal immigrants can therefore be linked to both serious organised crime and anti-social behaviour.
"Our teams have been successful today with arrests being made and cash being seized. It will go some way into showing evidence for the need for licensing reviews so that those not fit to sell alcohol are not able to.”
So far, eight people have been arrested so far for immigration offences and two for the facilitation of immigration offences.
More than £300,000 in cash has been seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and large quantities of both illicit and counterfeit of alcohol has already been recovered.
Eddy Montgomery, operations director of the UKBA in the North West, said: "We will not tolerate illegal working which undercuts wages and exploits vulnerable workers.
"This is the latest in a series of operations we’ve carried out to tackle immigration crime in Merseyside, and more are planned.
"Illegal working has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work. "The agency is targeting businesses which ignore the rules and we will track down workers who have no right to be in the UK.
"Businesses which operate outside the law should be warned that they will be found and they will be punished."
SOURCE
im off for a drink 
vans this morning about 7am all headed towards Poulton road did think it was abit strange seeing that many, does any1 know if the Poulton Pop in was raided again?