Police have arrested two men after they uncovered an axe and a machete from a car they stopped near Strangeways. A number of weapons were found in the boot of the vehicle following the stop-search in Cheetham Hill on Tuesday night (November 1).
At around 11.20pm, a member of public had called police after seeing a small group of 'suspicious' men with their faces covered putting the machete and an axe into the boot of the car on Bury New Road.
Armed police found the car that matched the description just 15 minutes later before it was stopped on Waterloo Road. Two men were detained as the car was searched.
READ MORE Police arrest two men after uncovering axe and machete in uninsured car near Strangeways
Officers uncovered the axe and machete in the boot, and also seized a lock knife from the trouser pocket of one of the men, as well as the uninsured VW Golf they were driving.
Two suspects, aged 27 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of going equipped for stealing and possession of a bladed article. The 31-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of disqualified driving, police said.
Both suspects remain in custody to be questioned by the Manchester North District Investigations Team.
It comes as the force are continuing to crack down on organised crime in the Strangeways and Cheetham Hill area of the city. There has been an increase of stop-search powers across the region, with searches up by 275 per cent and arrests rising by 60 per cent.
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