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Police have seized nearly £14m from Manchester criminals over the last year

Recovered funds will go towards community programmes and charities across the region, as well as to "fighting further crime".

The Manc The Manc - 10th May 2022

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has revealed that almost £14 million has been seized and recovered from criminals over the last year.

Detailing more about the significant sum, the police force confirmed in a statement that from March 2021 to April 2022, its Economic Crime Unit (ECU) was able to successfully recover a total of £13.7 million from criminals across Greater Manchester, which is an increase of 26% on the previous year.

According to GMP, a total of £3.7 million came from Confiscation Orders following the criminal conviction of offenders, £6.6 million in cash seizures, and £155,000 of seized listed assets – which includes items such as watches, precious metals, and more.

£3.2 million was also recovered by the new Account Freezing Order Team from accounts frozen due to their suspected use in crime.

In total, £5.7 million of the recovered funds will be returned to GMP as part of what the force has called the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS), which will see the money used for a number of worthy community programmes and charities across the region.

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It will also go towards funding policing programmes and operations to “further fight crime”.

“This has been a record year for asset recovery for GMP and we are one of the leading forces in the UK and that has resulted from a more proactive approach,” explained Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Harrop.

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“We will continue to use more innovative and proactive ways to find and recover these assets [and] we are committed to tackling organised crime in all its guises and stripping assets from criminals.

“We have three new, highly skilled teams committed to asset recovery – the Confiscation and Restraint Unit, the Asset Detention and Recovery Unit and the Account Freezing Order Team – and these teams will hunt for and recover assets however they are hidden. We also have a new Money Laundering Team that will identify, investigate and prosecute all those involved in trying to launder criminal proceeds.”

GMP’s Economic Crime Unit (ECU) was able to successfully recover a total of £13.7 million / Credit: Greater Manchester Police

He then added: “Half of the money forfeited goes automatically to the Greater Manchester Police ARIS fund used for charities and community initiatives.”

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Following the seizure of funds, GMP is now appealing for information from the public about anyone they suspect to be living a criminally-funded lifestyle and may have hidden assets, so that they can “deprive them of their cash and use it for a better purpose.”

Featured Image – Greater Manchester Police

News

Teenager stabbed to death at house party in Leeds named, as murder investigation launched

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

A 17-year-old who was fatally stabbed at a house party in Leeds has been named by police, as a murder investigation is launched.

The victim has been named as Trust Junior Jordan Gangata, known to his loved ones as TJ.

TJ was fatally wounded in an incident at a house in Salisbury Grove, Armley, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of murder – an 18 year old man from Huddersfield, and three men from Bradford, one aged 18 and two aged 19. They remain in custody.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Weekes said: “Trust’s family are going through an incredibly difficult time, and we have specially trained family liaison officers supporting them.

“We are keeping them fully updated as we continue to progress the investigation into his murder, with the four men we have arrested remaining in custody.

“Trust’s family have asked that people respect their privacy as they try to come to terms with having him taken from them in such sudden and violent circumstances.

“We continue to appeal for anyone who was at the party where Trust was attacked and who has any information that could assist the investigation to come forward and tell us what they know.”

Paying tribute to TJ was his sixth form college, Notre Dame Sixth Form College.

They wrote: “It is with great sadness to report that one of our Lower Sixth students, Trust ‘TJ’ Gangata, tragically lost his life in the early hours of Sunday morning. The College community is devastated by this news and we have him, his family, and his friends in our thoughts and prayers.

A tribute to Trust Junior Jordan Gangata. Credit: Notre Dame Sixth Form College

“Students, particularly his friends, will find this news very difficult to understand and accept. Our Achievement Tutors, Safeguarding Team, and College Counsellors are available to all who need support. The Chapel is also available for all who need a quiet space.

“Trust’s teachers described him as a “friendly, sociable, and kind student who always contributed positively in class”. Friends of Trust called him “hardworking, funny, and loyal” who was “a role model to his friends and always had a smile on his face”.”

A scene remains in place around the address in Salisbury Grove to undergo forensic examination and specialist searches.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team via 101 quoting Operation Pedalbourne reference 13230154405 or online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat

Information can be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Featured image: West Yorkshire Police

News

RMT Union members ‘overwhelmingly’ vote to accept new pay offer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

RMT Union has announced that its members have “overwhelmingly” voted to accept a new offer covering pay, jobs, and conditions.

In a statement revealing the outcome of the vote to accept the “improved offer” released today, the rail union said that 20,000 of its members voted by 76% to 24% in favour – which is said to mean the end of the trade dispute with Network Rail.

It comes after a series of strikes were staged over several months.

Rail workers first voted in favour of staging the “biggest strike in decades” at the end of May 2022, and the Union and Network Rail have since been in a bitter ongoing dispute ever since.

The offer voted in favour of includes an uplift on salaries of between 14.4% for the lowest paid grades to 9.2% or the highest paid, and a total uplift on basic earnings between 15.2% for the lowest paid grades to 10.3% for the highest paid grades – which represents an additional 1.1% over the duration of the deal, according to RMT.

Other “key factors” of the offer, according to RMT, includes discounted rail travel benefits for members.

The offer also includes increased backpay, and a renewing of the ‘no compulsory redundancy agreement’ until January 2025.

On top of this, RMT claims Network Rail will withdraw its previous insistence the offer was conditional on RMT accepting the company ‘modernising maintenance’ agenda – which the union will continue to “scrutinise and challenge”.

RMT Union members ‘overwhelmingly’ vote to accept new pay offer / Credit: Northern Rail

Reflecting on the outcome of the vote today, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said that when the Union first declared the dispute with Network Rail nearly a year ago, RMT was told that Network Rail workers would only get 2-3%.

“However, since then strike action and the inspiring solidarity and determination of members has secured new money,” he added.

“A new offer which has been clearly accepted by our members and that dispute is now over.”

Mr Lynch did, however, confirm that rail passengers will still face disruption from strike action scheduled for 30 March and 1 April, as they are still yet to strike a deal with the 14 train operating companies represented by the Rail Delivery Group.

20,000 members voted in favour of the new offer covering pay, jobs, and conditions / Credit: Network Rail

“Our dispute with the train operating companies remains firmly on and our members recent highly effective strike action across the fourteen train companies has shown their determination to secure a better deal,” he explained.

“If the government now allows the train companies to make the right offer, we can then put that to our members but until then the strike action scheduled will take place. 

Read more:

“The ball is in the government’s court.”

Featured Image – Northern Rail

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