Two police officers have been assaulted by a “suspected drug dealer” during targeted patrols in Piccadilly Gardens.
It comes after officers from ‘Operation Vulcan’ – which is Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) 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 – worked alongside local neighbourhood officers to conduct ‘high visibility patrols’ in the city centre greenspace yesterday afternoon (6 February).
During the targeted “crack down on criminality” in Piccadilly Gardens, GMP says a man – who was “suspected” to be a drug dealer – assaulted two officers as he attempted to flee the scene.
Despite his attempts to make off, the man was subsequently arrested by police on suspicion of possession with intent to supply, as well as on two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.
#ARREST | Drugs seized & officers assaulted in Piccadilly Gardens.
In an attempt to make off from police, a suspected drug dealer assaulted 2 officers.
But he was no match for #OpVulcan & 33 wraps of heroine and cocaine were seized, and he was swiftly escorted to custody. pic.twitter.com/jCi9rmTKhf
— Manchester City Centre Police (GMP) (@GMPCityCentre) February 6, 2024
He remains in police custody for questioning, GMP confirmed.
In the midst of all of this, officers on the scene also managed to recover 31 wraps of cocaine, and three snap bags of heroin from the suspect.
Inspector Dan Cullum, from GMP’s Operation Vulcan team, called yesterday’s Piccadilly Gardens crackdown a “great result”, but said the aggression shown towards officers during the incident was “unacceptable”.
Two police officers assaulted by ‘suspected drug dealer’ in Piccadilly Gardens / Credit: Wikimedia Commons | Manchester City Council
“Drugs cause an untold amount of harm and disruption in our communities,” Inspector Cullum said, “and so removing this many wraps of cocaine and heroin from just one individual is a great result.
“Our staff work tirelessly day in day out to drive out the criminality from Piccadilly Gardens and work to safeguard those who are at risk of exploitation, but each day they are often faced with volatile individuals and put into difficult situations.
“This type of behaviour is unacceptable and we will continue to remove these type of people from our streets.”
It happened during ‘high visibility patrols’ in the city centre greenspace yesterday afternoon / Credit: GMP
Inspector Cullum has reissued an appeal to the Greater Manchester public, and asked that anyone who has any information about drugs in the Piccadilly Gardens area, or the wider Manchester city centre, get in touch with police to report it.
“Through a combination of hotspot patrolling and community intelligence, we’re able to make a real difference in the area,” Inspector Cullum concluded.
Anyone with any information can contact police on 101, or via the reporting section of the GMP website at gmp.police.uk, or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
News
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
News
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.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th February 2024 
