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.
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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.
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“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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Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation
Emily Sergeant
Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.
After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.
The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.
It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.
Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.
We’ve set out major reforms to the UK’s veterinary sector now our market investigation is complete.
Our reforms will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market and will start coming into force later this year.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) March 24, 2026
Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.
They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.
Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.
Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere
There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.
The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.
“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
News
Police release footage of Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest by hiding under a bed
Emily Sergeant
Police have released unseen footage of a Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest and justice by hiding under a bed.
David Dale Thompson, of no fixed abode, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (18 March) where he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of residential burglary at an earlier hearing.
The 43-year-old was caught early last year (15 January 2025) following proactive patrols by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) neighbourhood officers across Rusholme and Moss Side, who were in the area due to a high number of reports of burglaries in the weeks prior.
While on patrol, police spotted Thompson ‘acting suspiciously’ while riding a bike just before 5pm, and once officer subsequently followed him to a property on Boscombe Street, before calling for more officers to attend.
After gaining entry to the address, officers suspected something was wrong when they entered one of the rooms, and after lifting up the bed, they found Thompson hiding in the storage compartment attempting to evade arrest.
GMP has now released footage of the moment Thompson was caught.
Speaking following Thompson’s sentencing last week, Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s Manchester Central Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “This was a fantastic example of proactive policing, which has resulted in a serial offender now behind bars.
“We know how devastating a burglary in your own home can be and this shows our commitment to tackling them head on.
“If you have any information or concerns about neighbourhood crime in your area, make sure you speak to us. In the meantime, we have officers on regular patrols in areas that need us the most.”
Danny Jones -
21st March 2024 
