24 ‘alleged drug dealers’ arrested following undercover GMP operation in Piccadilly Gardens
An undercover police operation in Piccadilly Gardens has led to 24 “alleged drug dealers” being arrested.
The arrests were made during the early hours of yesterday morning (14 May) as part of a huge operation “to tackle drugs supply in Piccadilly Gardens”, as well as forming part of Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) ongoing ‘Operation Vulcan’ – which was launched in September 2023, and is a mission to crackdown on organised crime, the sale of counterfeit goods, and hit the finances of the gangs operating out of the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways areas of Manchester.
Almost 300 officers from across the force executed 23 warrants at addresses across Greater Manchester as part of the operation yesterday morning, and in total, 22 men and two women, all between the ages of 18 – 45, were arrested.
Arrests were made on the suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
The successful arrests come after officers from ‘Operation Vulcan’ have been running an undercover operation in Piccadilly Gardens for the last six months, alongside specialist officers from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU), and their high visibility patrols.
“You may be used to seeing our Operation Vulcan team in uniform, but what you won’t have noticed, is the undercover officers in and amongst the suspected criminals,” GMP admitted in a statement following yesterday’s arrests.
All those arrested currently remain in police custody while officers search their houses.
So far, GMP has seized almost £10,000 in cash, and hundreds of snap bags of drugs, as well as having recovered several crucial mobile phones and sim cards.
Detective Sergeant Matt Donnelly, from GMP’s Operation Vulcan, described yesterday’s action as a “huge operation”.
He continued: “We know how deeply the drugs trade impacts our communities, and the violence and depravity it brings with it, which is why we have launched such a major operation to tackle it.
“By arresting 24 people, I can confidently say we have dismantled and disrupted several different county lines and local drug networks. But we won’t be complacent, and this should be a warning for anyone who thinks criminal activity is welcome in our city.
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“We want to make sure criminals are living a life of high anxiety, and I hope that anyone who considers coming to Piccadilly Gardens to deal drugs is constantly looking over their shoulder.”
Featured Image – GMP