One million fake prescription drugs have been seized from a flat in an ongoing drive to dismantle Manchester's Counterfeit Street. The haul, believed to have a street value of several million pounds, was discovered during search of business premises in the Strangeways area.
The search is linked to the arrest of a driver on suspicion of possession with intent to supply, possession of cannabis and drug driving. The man was detained following a proactive stop search by GMP's Transport Unit officers in the Broughton area of Salford.
Officers from Operation Vulcan - launched to smash a large number of premises selling countefeit goods in the district - recovered the stash from a flat above a row of shops in Rugby Street, off Broughton Lane, behind Bury New Road. Fake pills labelled as boxes of Dihydrocodeine, Diazepam, Lorazepam, Codeine were among those recovered.
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In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: "Suspected counterfeit items and a significant quantity of cash were also recovered from the man’s home, where a woman was arrested on suspicion of money laundering."
Detective Chief Inspector Jen Kelly said: “This is a fantastic result for our communities. Counterfeit drugs pose a serious risk to vulnerable individuals and the sale of them often fuels the activities of organised crime groups. The stop search was a great piece of proactive work by GMP’s Transport Unit. The fact this intelligence was fed into our team is really encouraging and shows that cross-force support for Operation Vulcan is growing.
“We are in the early days of the Operation Vulcan fight in Strangeways and Cheetham Hill and though we are doing everything we can to build a resilient community, we encourage members of the public to report concerns to us."
As revealed in the Manchester Evening News three weeks ago, the infamous stretch is to be bulldozed. In a radical move to smash what police say is a national magnet for criminality, buildings on Bury New Road in the Strangeways area are to be closed, compulsory purchased, and then flattened.
The move is part of an operation to erase for good dozens of shops which sell hooky clothing, perfume, tobacco and toys but are also believed to be a front for serious crime. GMP have established that 33 organised crime gangs from across the UK have links to the area.
Brazen selling of prescription drugs on the streets near the shops is a daily occurrenc and illegal immigration, modern-day slavery; women being forced to work as sex workers and the use of empty buildings for cannabis farms are rife in the district, say police. Women walking through the area have reported being sexually harassed by men.
After decades of repeat raids on the shops to seize tonnes of counterfeit clothing and goods - which are quickly replenished - GMP is to work with Manchester council, and other organisations to deliver a permanent solution. The opening of a new £93m campus for Manchester College on the site of the old Boddington's Brewery within 200 yards of the stores selling counterfeit goods, plus a Travelodge hotel, which is even closer, have also been a catalyst for action as students and guests at the hotel have been harassed.
Last month, as part of Operation Vulcan, police recovered a Sprinter van used in a burglary, containing thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit goods, as well as a machete and an axe. Inside a building in Lockett Street, Strangeways, where the vehicle was parked they discovered five units containing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit designer clothing, perfume, jewellery and other goods.
A senior officer told the Manchester Evening News that "the full power" of GMP would be used "everyday" to dismantle what is a nest of criminality at a major gateway to the city.
If cleared the area would free up prime locations for development as Manchester city centre continues to expand. It has already spread across the River Irwell into Greengate, Salford, where huge new apartment blocks have risen. A similar regeneration is envisaged along Bury New Road - which long term could also mean the closure and demolition of Strangeways Prison parts of which are Victorian, and crumbling.
Greater Manchester Police can be contacted via gmp.police.uk or 101. In an emergency, always dial 999. Information about crime can also be reported anonymously via the independent charity – Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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