Three men arrested in dawn raid on Cheetham Hill property in connection with gang related burglaries
- Three men have been arrested following a dawn raid in Cheetham Hill
- The men are suspected of involvement in aggravated burglary of two shops last October
- The raid came as part of Operation Vulcan, GMP’s plan to quash counterfeit trade in Cheetham Hill and Strangeways
Greater Manchester Police has arrested three men suspected of involvement in gang related burglaries following a dawn raid on a property in Cheetham Hill this morning (Tuesday).
Officers raided a home in the early hours of this morning. Three men were arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and remain in police custody for questioning.
Officers executed a warrant early to raid premises connected to an investigation into the burglary of two shops on Lockett Street in October. The shops were alleged to contain over £1m of counterfeit clothing.
The raid was part of Operation Vulcan, a GMP initiative to curb criminal activity in the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways areas. The multi-agency targeted action plan aims to tackle counterfeit trade.
“Cheetham Hill and Strangeways are well known across the country for the easy availability of counterfeit goods” said Chief Constable Stephen Watson.
“This issue can be perceived to be relatively harmless by people who fail to see beyond the purchase of a cheap replica shirt.
“In truth, counterfeit goods represent what is merely the tip of an iceberg when you really come to understand what damage serious and organised crime is doing to our communities in this area”.
Counterfeit trade in the area is part of a wider sophisticated network that fuels more serious crime including illicit medication and drugs, modern slavery and violent crime.
Detective Sergeant Matt Donnelly, one of the operation’s specialist officers, said following today’s raid: “Operation Vulcan is about so much more than raiding counterfeit shops, it’s about targeting every level of criminality that is happening in the area and protecting the vulnerable victims who are being exploited by this trade.
“We’re not raiding these properties to stop people from getting a bargain, we’re targeting people who are involved in serious organised crime. Counterfeiting is just the tip of the iceberg, and with it comes a multitude of sinister criminality and violence”.
