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.
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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”.
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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.”
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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
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Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall
Emily Sergeant
A new era for The Orient is on the horizon, as the Trafford Centre has begun its months-long refresh of its iconic foodhall.
Forming part of its ongoing commitment to ‘enhancing the visitor experience’, the Trafford Centre is investing in a major refresh of seating and customer facilities within The Orient – creating a more vibrant and welcoming environment for guests to eat, meet and relax.
Works are now underway and will be delivered in phases over the coming months.
Improvements are being carried out in phases to minimise disruption to shoppers, while creating a more comfortable and contemporary dining environment at the same time.
The refreshed area will increase seating capacity by more than 60%, introducing a range of new seating styles in the process – including banquettes, family-friendly tables, accessible seating for guests with mobility requirements, and dedicated areas equipped with phone and laptop charging facilities.
The Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall / Credit: The Manc Group
Inspired by The Orient’s longstanding maritime heritage, the design takes cues from a contemporary cruise liner, and the space will also feature upgraded furniture and enhanced lighting, alongside flexible areas designed to encourage visitors to spend more time in there.
There’ll also be modern furnishings and a ‘refreshed’ colour palette to create a brighter and welcoming environment.
“The Orient is one of the most popular destinations within Trafford Centre, welcoming millions of visitors each year,” a Trafford Centre spokesperson said on the refurb.
“This investment reflects our commitment to continually improving the experience for our guests, creating a more modern, comfortable and social environment where visitors can meet, dine and spend time together.
“The improvements will not only significantly increase seating capacity but also deliver a much more flexible and accessible space for all visitors to enjoy.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
News
Uber has officially started trialling driverless taxis in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… driverless taxis have hit the streets of Manchester.
As the leading transportation company looks to bring robotaxis to other major cities around the UK, it has been confirmed that a trial of autonomous vehicles is now underway in Manchester – with the services being operated using the technology of Uber’s partner firms, Pony and Verne.
Uber said it was ‘excited’ to take this first step toward ‘making this technology accessible’ to people across the UK.
The three companies first collaborated on the deployment of a commercial robotaxi service back in March of this year, combining Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system, Uber’s global mobility platform, and Verne’s service ecosystem and operational framework.
At this time, there has been no official application to launch passenger services in Manchester, according to The Guardian.
However, posts on various social media platforms – such as X, LinkedIn, and Instagram – by each of the companies this week have confirmed that trials are underway in the city.
“New technologies play an increasingly important role in the growth of our city region,” TfGM said. “But they need to be introduced responsibly, safely and with real thought about what it means for our residents.
“Safety will always be our top priority, and we will need strong assurances that no vehicles will operate on our roads that pose any risk to residents.”
Manchester, we’re on our way! Today, we’re announcing that we’re partnering with @Verne_robotaxi and @PonyAI_tech to pilot autonomous vehicles in Manchester. Building on our service together in Zagreb, Gen-7 Robotaxis are now testing in Manchester.
We’re excited to take this first step toward making this technology accessible to people across the UK. 🇬🇧
“By bringing together Pony.ai’s proven autonomous driving technology, Verne’s operational and market expertise, and Uber’s global platform, we’re taking an important step toward making autonomous ride-hailing available to more riders in more places.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th February 2024 
