Murder hunt

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Eckersley holds a press conference outside Block Lane Surgery, Chadderton regarding the murder of Junaid Khan.

DETECTIVES have scoured the North-West hunting the murderer of gunned-down Junaid Khan, making three arrests and gathering evidence.

Ten houses were raided with police currently analysing three bullets, clothes and mobile phones to establish if they are linked to the murder.

The investigation has involved three police forces and special taskforce Xcalibre, set up to crack down on gun crime.

The action came as fears were raised that gun crime has spread to Oldham through Asian gangs using shotguns and automatic weapons to protect drug-dealing.

Junaid (21), of Cotton Mill Crescent, Werneth, was shot several times in the car park of a doctor’s surgery in Block Lane, Chadderton, on July 9.

On Thursday and Friday, police, responding to information from the community, executed warrants in Oldham at Crete Street, Middleton Road, Alder Root, Falmouth Street and Enfield Road; in Hemlock Avenue, Hathershaw; Fold Green, Chadderton; St Albans Avenue, Ashton; Lauriston Close, Gatley and Dundonald Road, Cheadle.

Milad Finn (21), of Lauriston Close, Gatley appeared before Manchester City magistrates on Saturday, charged with possessing prohibited ammunition.

A 26-year-old woman from Gatley, arrested on suspicion of possession of ammunition and money laundering, has been bailed until October 8 pending further inquiries. And a 21-year-old man from Oldham, arrested on suspicion of possessing ammunition, has been bailed until September 2.

Three cars have emerged as key to the investigation with one potentially connecting the case to another shooting.

A white BMW, registration PK57 GWZ, found parked on Fold Green, Chadderton has been linked to a shooting in Preston on the same night, for which two people have been charged.

That took place at 9.30pm, and the car was spotted in Falmouth Street, Oldham around 10.30pm and then Fold Green, Chadderton at 11.30pm where it was later recovered by police.

It was close to a burned-out silver Mitsubishi Shogun, registration YP57 7XH, believed to be the getaway vehicle in Junaid’s murder, which took place at 12.10am.

The Shogun was seen in Block Lane after the shots were fired and was recovered from a car park near to the Ancora Steakhouse, Broadway, Chadderton.

It was stolen from a house on Haigh Moor Road, Tingley, West Yorkshire, in the early hours of May 30.

A blue BMW, registration MT08 JUV, was also stolen from the house and has not yet been found.

Street shootings dropped by 92 per cent when the Moss Side-based “Gooch Gang” was smashed, but it is feared a new threat to Greater Manchester’s war on guns has emerged in other areas, including Oldham.

A report by chief constable Peter Fahy says: “The emerging firearms threat to GMP and local communities comes from identified Asian organised crime groups, with parallels being drawn with the historic activity of drugs gangs from the south Manchester area in the use of firearms to secure fiscal outcomes to their organised criminality.”

But Detective Chief Inspector Steve Eckersley said he was keeping an open mind on the motive.

He said: “At this moment we have no direct link for the murder to organised group crime activity. I’m not sure why Junaid was targeted but he was gunned down in a violent attack.

“Right from the outset the community has been very co-operative and we have taken positive steps and acted on information received. The warrants have been successful but we are still evaluating the overall evidence.”

Anyone reluctant to come forward for fear of reprisals will be offered anonymity, with information treated in the strictest of confidence.

Several hundred mourners gathered at Junaid’s funeral in Werneth Park and his distraught family say they know of no motive for the killing of a much-loved son.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Major Incident Team on 0161 856 3691 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111. In particular, police are appealing for information about the burglary and the movements of the two stolen cars.

l Police have ruled out a connection to the murder inquiry with three arrests made on Thursday following reports of men in a car threatening people with a gun in Werneth Hall Road.

The three men, aged 25,20, and 18, arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, have been bailed until October 8 pending further inquiries.