Greater Manchester Police have revealed that over £4 million in criminal cash and assets have been recovered in less than a year of cracking down across the region.
As per a press release from GMP, they detailed how the dedicated Asset Detention and Recovery Unit (ADRU) collected a total of £4,226,798.39 in the past financial year.
Based on figures starting from April 2023 until now and made up of over 420 successful forfeiture orders, the impressive haul is made up of £3,816,998.39 in cash and an additional £409,800.00 in listed assets such as high-value watches and jewellery.
On Tuesday, 20 March alone, the team successfully secured a whopping £192,486.14 worth of illegal money and possessions submitted to Tameside Magistrates Court.
#NEWS | Over £4 million of criminal’s cash has been recovered by GMP since April 2023.
This financial year, our Asset Detention and Recovery Unit have forfeited a total of £4,226,798.39, surpassing last years figures 🏆
Citing other efforts by the unit, the statement goes on to explain how an October sting over in Ardwick saw officers find a “substantial” amount of cocaine hidden inside a toilet cistern, as well as precisely £11,385 in cash and a Rolex Oyster Watch worth over £12,000.
But this particular operation didn’t stop there either, as these items were recovered along with a 1.87kg bag of cannabis, scales, vacuum-sealed bags a heat-sealing machine and envelopes, indicating they formed “part of a wider criminal enterprise”.
Better still, as part of the nationwide Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS), while 50% of the money reclaimed is investing into the force and their further efforts, the other half goes straight back into various initiatives that benefit the community.
Detective Inspector Sarah Langley, of GMPs Asset Detention and Recovery Unit, said of the latest stats: “This is a huge achievement for the team. The officers in the unit work hard and a huge amount of work goes into preparing these cases to go to court to successfully recover criminal’s finances.
“The money comes from a wide range of criminal activity from across Greater Manchester, from smaller amounts of cash we retrieve from local drug dealing issues, right up to disrupting large-scale organised criminals operating in the regions where money is often used to further serious violence in our communities.”
A great approach to making sure this money is put to best use to but make sure it continues, the authorities reiterate that they still “need you and your information”, so as always, if you have any knowledge of criminal activity you can call 101, 999 in immediate situations or use Crimestoppers anonymously.
Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police (via X)/Wikimedia Commons
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Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo’s adorable baby snow leopard who went viral last week could very well be about to go viral again.
That’s because new footage of it venturing outside for the first time have been released.
After arriving to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, who are both three-years-old, last month (10 June 2025), keepers at Chester Zoo said mum and cub had mostly spent their time quietly tucked away in a cosy den, away from the eyes of the onlooking public – but now, it’s time for the little one to see what the outside world is all about.
Now, at seven-weeks old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence, and experts expected that it could venture outside at ‘any moment’.
Zookeepers are still yet to confirm the sex of the cub, and will be able to do soon once it has undergone its first health check-up with the vets.
We can also expect to hear one the little one’s name is very soon too.
If you’re unfamiliar with snow leopards, they are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it’s believed there are as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild.
Nicknamed the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, these elusive – but adorable – big cats are found in the rugged, remote regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas – but sadly, despite being known for living in desolate, harsh environments, they continue to face threats from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and retaliatory killings by farmers.
Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time / Credit: Chester Zoo
The cub’s birth follows the opening of Chester Zoo’s Himalayan habitat in May 2024, which is a vast, rocky environment that authentically recreates the mountainous terrain of Central Asia.
“This is the first snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo,” commented Dave Hall, who is the Team Manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo, last week when the adorable hidden den cam footage was first released to the public.
“It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration – not just for our teams here, but also for the future of this magnificent species globally.”
Although it’s still early days, carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing ‘excellent maternal instincts’ by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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Rochdale man, 20, found guilty of assaulting police officers and the public at Manchester Airport
Emily Sergeant
A man from Rochdale has been found guilty of assaulting a man and two female police officers at Manchester Airport last year.
20-year-old Mohammed Fahir Amaaz has been convicted of common assault and two counts of actual bodily harm following a four-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court in relation to a high-profile incident that took place at Manchester Airport on 23 July 2024.
The first attack on the member of public – of which extensive footage of was shared with the court over the course of the trail – took place in a largely public area of the Airport, but despite claims made to the contrary, Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) investigation found no evidence of any ‘prior threatening’ or ‘unacceptable behaviour’ by the victim aimed towards Amaaz or his family.
Three GMP officers – one male and two female – responded to the initial assault, and as they proceeded to detain and arrest Amaaz at the Terminal 2 car park pay station for assault, they suffered a number of injuries – such as concussion, a broken nose, and bruising and swelling.
CCTV played to the jury during the trail showed Amaaz throwing 10 punches, two ‘elbow strikes’, and one kick in what was described as a ‘prolonged and violent’ attack.
This conviction follows a thorough investigation of all available footage to understand the full context to the incident.
Our officers have been supported throughout and continue to be supported.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 30, 2025
An investigation, led by a team from GMP’s Serious Crime Division, was subsequently launched following the incident.
Police were said to have worked ‘diligently and expediently’ through all the moving footage, including CCTV and body worn camera recordings, complemented by the testimonies of witnesses to the incident, which allowed them to present a clear and accurate picture of the facts of the events to the jury.
A jury convicted Amaaz of assaults on the two female officers, but a decision is still inconclusive regarding the incident with the male police officer.
GMP now says it will be working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in support of a re-trial for these inconclusive counts.
A CCTV image of the brawl in action / Credit: CPS
“Whilst assaults on police officers are sadly not uncommon, such attacks can never be justified,” commented Sir Stephen Watson, who is the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, following the trial.
“Our officers are decent people who routinely place themselves in harm’s way to protect the public, and they deserve our respect and support.
“I am particularly grateful to those many members of the public who have contacted the force in order to pass on their best wishes to the officers affected.”
Danny Jones -
21st March 2024 
