More than £13,000 and a large amount of counterfeit clothing and goods have been seized by police after yet more raids in Cheetham Hill.
It may be a new year, but stories like this one are still the same it seems.
Once again, as part of Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) ongoing ‘Operation Vulcan’ – which is a mission to crackdown on the sale of counterfeit and hit the finances of the gangs operating out of the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways areas of Manchester – officers were out conducting high visibility patrols when they were stopped by a panicked boy who said his mum had been locked inside a shop on Harris Street.
It came after the ‘spotters’ – which are people paid to keep watch and alert illegitimate business owners of approaching officers – had told the shop owner that police were patrolling the area.
After the boy alerted them, officers then forced entry under section 17 – which is an emergency warrant granted to preserve life – and rescued the mum and a further 20 people who had been trapped inside by the shopkeepers spooked by the police presence.
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Police then carried out a full search of the building.
More than £8,000 cash and two large floors of counterfeit clothing were found inside.
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GMP has confirmed that two men, aged 26 and 28, were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and conspiracy to commit trademark offences at the premises, and their arrest then led to three further locations being searched.
These subsequent searches resulted in a further £5,000 cash being recovered and a large amount of counterfeit clothing being seized.
Both males were interviewed and have been bailed with conditions.
Harris Street off Bury New Road in Cheetham Hill / Credit: Google Maps
“We’ve heard whispers that the illegitimate shop owners thought Operation Vulcan was just a short-lived operation over Christmas, and that in the new year, all would be forgotten,” Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood said.
“I hope this weeks action will demonstrate that Operation Vulcan is here to stay.
“My team and I will be relentlessly pursuing anyone who decides to commit criminality in this area. The illicit money made from the counterfeit items funds serious organised crime, and we will do everything in our power to strip criminals of their finances and reinvest it back into communities across Manchester.
“This latest seizure will make a dent in finances of the serious organised crime gangs operating in the area, but I’d like to take this time to again emphasise the danger that members of the public are in when they shop here.”
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DS Blackwood has previously warned shoppers that they are “at risk”.
After one of December’s Operation Vulcan raids, DS Blackwood said: “By entering these shops, not only are you putting yourself in danger and at risk of the volatile staff, but you’re funding serious organised crime which is having a devastating impact on the local community.
“These people do not care for your welfare – they’re simply trying to make some quick cash.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Chester Zoo announces return of its £10 tickets for limited time only with extended opening hours
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced the return of its popular £10 tickets deal for a limited time only.
You may remember that earlier this summer, Chester Zoo invited people from across the North West to visit for just £10, and as the offer proved so popular, they’ve now brought it back again for a limited time.
For the past three years running now, Chester Zoo has officially been named the UK’s best zoo thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews, and now as the summer draws to a close, you’ll get to see exactly what makes it such a special place worth visiting for a cut price.
With the offer only applicable to afternoons this summer, Afternoon Tickets allow entry to Chester Zoo from 2pm onwards – with the last entry being one-hour before it closes.
Chester Zoo is offering £10 tickets to visitors this summer / Credit: Chester Zoo
Without this offer, standard admission tickets to Chester Zoo usually cost up to £38 for adults, £37 for students, and £28 for children, all including a 10% donation to the zoo’s conservation efforts, while babies and carers go free.
So it really is worth making the most of these limited-time £10 tickets while you still can – with the offer now running until 6 September.
The best bit about the offer returning? The zoo is currently operating its extended opening hours until 6pm too, so included for the bargain price of a £10 ticket, you’ll even get to see all the animals while the sun goes down.
Afternoon tickets are only available online and must be booked in advance to claim the £10 offer.
Tickets can only be purchased online before 4pm on the day of your visit, and standard admission tickets can be purchased from our ticket office at the main entrance.
Find out more and book your £10 tickets online here.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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Manchester Airport releases statement after customer data stolen in ‘targeted’ cyber security attack
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Airport has released a formal statement after data was stolen from 8.7 million customers in a ‘targeted’ cyber security attack yesterday.
Manchester Airport Group (MAG) – which operates Manchester Airport, Stansted, and East Midlands Airport – said the cyber security incident happened at around 1pm yesterday (Thursday 27 August), and that the data seized from 8.7 million customers included email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations, and postcodes.
The data that was stolen related to car park, lounge and Fast Track bookings, and in-airport WiFi sign-ups, MAG stated.
It was initially confirmed that the system the hackers accessed did not hold customers’ bank or payment details, however, and that all other regular airport operations and customer parking continued uninterrupted.
Manchester Airport has now released a formal statement to reassure customers that they are taking the matter ‘extremely seriously’.
The statement reads: “Manchester Airport Group has been subject to a cyber security incident by an unauthorised third party.
“A quantity of customer data has been obtained that relates to car park, lounge and Fast Track bookings and in-airport WIFI sign-ups at Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports.
“We immediately contained the risk and have been working with specialist advisors and taking appropriate steps to protect our customers and systems. We have informed and are working with the relevant authorities, and at no point has passenger safety or aviation security been compromised.”
MAG insisted that the incident had not resulted in any ‘operational disruption’, adding: “Airport operations remain unaffected and customer parking services continue to operate normally.
“Neither MAG nor the system accessed hold customers’ bank or payment details. The data that has been accessed includes customers’ email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations and postcodes.
“We would like to reassure customers that Manchester Airport Group takes the security of customer information extremely seriously, and we apologise for any inconvenience or concern caused.”
Emily Sergeant -
6th January 2023 
