Offensive on crime groups sees reduction in violent crime

Greater Manchester Police's team of officers tackling serious and organised crime in North Manchester have made dozens of arrests, seized 10 firearms, and helped significantly reduce shootings in the area as crackdown on criminals continues.

The work by GMP City of Manchester North's Operation Challenger team, formed in November 2019 following a rise in violence linked to a dispute between two organised crime groups, has seen police make 92 arrests, execute 156 search warrants, and make 434 stop searches.

As a direct result the team have located and seized 10 viable firearms, kilos of class A and B drugs and have recovered a total of 30 cars suspected of being stolen, uninsured, or having cloned plates.

Since the start of April 2021, discharges have decreased with three shootings recorded, down from 10 in the first three months of 2021, which included incidents on Foleshill Avenue, Queens Road, Honister Road, Somerfield Road and, St Peter's Square in the city centre.

Officers from the North Manchester division and the Serious and Organised Crime Firearms Investigation Team embarked on a three-week blitz on organised crime at the end of March where several warrants were executed and 11 arrests were made, yielding three firearms, ammunition, over £150,000 in cash, and 10 kilos of class A and B drugs.

GMP's robust response, supported by information from the public, helped numerous investigations being led by detectives at Central Park CID, who have so far charged several suspects in connection with drugs, firearms, and violent offences.

Three men have been charged after an alleged shooting at the Godfather Café in November 2019 which prompted the formation of our Operation Haemus response.

Several convictions have also been secured including Jack Modlinsky, aged 24, of Cheetham Hill, who was jailed for over five-and-a-half years in May when officers found £134,000 in cash, £8,000 worth of cocaine, and a knife during a warrant at his address as part of the action.

GMP also helped jail four Manchester drug dealers in April for a total of 18 years after 161 wraps of class A drugs were seized from a hotel room in Blackpool that was occupied by Prince Moyo, 21, and Dylan Worthington, 23.

Vernard Murray, 22, and Jack Worthington, 19, were also jailed.

Mark Rigg, 20, is currently serving 32 months in prison after being convicted of burglary, dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking, and Matthew Campbell, 33, was given a six-month sentence after being stopped by officers from our disruption hub and found to have a kitchen knife.

The officers also helped identify three teenagers who are to be sentenced at the end of July after being convicted of a violent disorder at a JD store at Manchester Fort in April when they used parts of mannequins they had broken during the fight to attack two men.

Working with partners within Manchester City Council (MCC), the team comprising of 17 officers including experienced detectives, intelligence officers, proactive patrols and specialist safeguarding officers, continues to drive down violent crime in the area.

The hub also works very closely with the 'Inspire Project' - a police-led initiative comprising of a six-week course delivered in a number of Greater Manchester schools by police officers and guest speakers working with the most vulnerable young people aged 14 - 15 years regarding the risks of child criminal exploitation, child sexual exploitation, knife crime and joint-enterprise. 

Police continue to thank the public for their support and cooperation and encourage anyone with information or concerns to contact them.

Chief Superintendent Paul Savill, of GMP's City of Manchester North division, said: "The success the team have had so far tackling organised crime across North Manchester is due to their tireless work around the clock to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups across the district.

"The results to date are thanks to a dedicated team of proactive officers, safeguarding officers and experienced detectives, but would not have been possible without a close working relationship with partner agencies such as social services, Manchester City Council and local housing providers.

"So far in 2021, we saw a large volume of incidents in the first three months of the year which presented us with a real challenge, but in the three months since we have thwarted a number of key individuals and prevented the series to escalate any further and cause any serious injury.

"We continue to take robust and pragmatic action against any ongoing risks or spikes in incidents, and we will not relent in reducing serious and violent crime between organised criminals while ever it is present in our neighbourhoods.

"The work undertaken by the team in such a short period of time is impressive and is clearly having an impact across the district which is now showing a reduction in gun and gang-related crime, which I hope is of great reassurance to the public who have been understandably concerned by the violence.

"During this operation, the public's co-operation and support has been vital in gaining information and being able to respond to any concerns so that we can target and disrupt suspects, and I encourage anyone with information or suspicions to continue to contact us in confidence."

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods for Manchester City Council, said: "There is no place for violent crime in our city and we welcome the determined efforts of Greater Manchester Police to disrupt and bring to justice those involved in it and promote community safety. 

"This is genuine partnership work between the police, the council and crucially also the public." 

Anyone with information or concerns can report online, if able, via: www.gmp.police.uk or call 101.

Details can be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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