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More than £300,000 confiscated from sisters who ran drugs ring from Bury beauty salon

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 30th August 2022

Two Bury sisters who ran a drugs ring from a beauty salon have had more than £300,000 taken from them.

17 individuals involved in the cross-Pennine criminal empire, including those instrumental in driving drugs between Manchester and Yorkshire, have now had huge sums of money confiscated, totalling £736,464.30.

Bury-based Shazia Din and her sister Abia lost £259,079.17 and £49,478.45 respectively after a Judge confiscated the money from them at a recent POCA (Proceeds of Crime Act) hearing at Manchester Crown Court.

Shazia used to run the criminal empire from her shop, the Beauty Booth in Bury, using the business on Chesham Industrial Estate to launder dirty money.

The beauty business on the Chesham Industrial Estate in Bury. Credit: GMP

Seized items in the operation included more than 60kg of Class A drugs (including heroin and cocaine) as well as £300,000 in cash, a hydraulic press, drugs paraphernalia, a handgun and ammunition.

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In total, members of the conspiracy were sentenced to a combined 140 years.

Read more: Award-winning Chorlton chicken restaurant closes for good with emotional farewell video

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Following the confiscation, Detective Chief Inspector Roger Smethurst said: “We are extremely pleased with the results of the confiscation hearing, and the case as a whole.

“The officers involved have worked tirelessly to secure convictions against instrumental members of an organised crime group operating out of Greater Manchester.

“We hope that this serves as a reminder to anyone that we continue to investigate and secure convictions in large-scale drugs operations.”

Featured image: GMP

News

A Greater Manchester town could be set to get a train station for the first time in 60 years

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of one local town could soon be able to hop on a train out of there.

That’s because a planning application for a brand-new £32 million station in Golborne – which would connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, to the rail network for the first time in more than 60 years – has been submitted to Wigan Council, meaning connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.

In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, and Leigh is the biggest town in England without a rail station, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.

The milestone aims to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people in the town and the wider Wigan borough.

According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which “significant investment” has been put into.

The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.

The submitting of the proposals comes after nearly 3,000 people had their say on the station earlier this year, with more than 90% of respondents supporting the plans.

A CGI of what the proposed new Golborne station could look like, if plans are approved / Credit: TfGM

If the plans are approved by Wigan Council, work on the site should begin in 2026, according to TfGM, with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.

Mayor Andy Burnham called the submitting of the proposals a “transformative step” for the region.

“It has taken a huge effort to get us to this point,” he explained. “But we have finally reached a major milestone on the journey to reconnect Golborne to the rail network for the first time in over 60 years.

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“The proposal is based on extremely sound evidence and huge progress has been made with a planning application being submitted and overwhelming support from local residents.”

Featured Image – TfGM

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Police issue statement after remains of young baby found in Salford field

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Police issue statement after remains of young baby found in Salford field

Police have issued a statement after the remains of a young baby were tragically found in Salford yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the scene near Ashtons Field after a dog walker made the shocking discovery.

The baby – who is being called Baby A – has not yet been identified and police are now investigating ‘who this baby could be, how long they have been here, and how they have sadly died’.

GMP are appealing for anyone with any information to come forward so they can ‘find answers for this baby’.

Chief Superintendent Neil Blackwood held a press conference near the scene on Ravenscraig Road last night.

He said: “Tragically, today, we have found what we believe to be the remains of a young baby on Ravenscraig Road, near Ashtons Field in Little Hulton.

“We have a scene in place, and you will likely see an increased presence of officers in the local area while we carry out enquiries to understand the circumstances.

“At this stage, we are following several lines of enquiry, and we are working with local partner agencies to understand who this baby could be, how long they have been here, and how they have sadly died. We are now calling this baby, Baby A. 

“All of this is extremely sensitive, and this investigation needs to be handled with the utmost care it deserves, and it is going to take time.

GMP press conference after remains of baby found in Salford

“We know that this news will devastate our communities, and while we do not have all the answers to these questions yet, I want to reassure residents that we will do all we can to find out what has happened here. The most important thing for us right now is to find answers for this baby and I would urge anyone who has any information at all to get in touch with us.

“Even the most minor detail could be crucial to our investigation. If you have seen anyone in the area over the last few days, or know who the parents could be, please call us as soon as you can.

“As soon as we are in a position to confirm further details about the circumstances, we will do so.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting log 1319 of 20/11/24. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

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Featured image: Google Maps

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