Police have seized £70,000 in cash, a samurai sword and a viable firearm as part of an investigation into an alleged organised crime group suspected of supplying Class A drugs across Manchester.
Four men in their 20s and 30s were arrested following a series of eight warrants carried out across the city on October 1. Officers also recovered cocaine, MDMA and ammunition during the raids, which targeted addresses in Moss Side, Levenshulme, Moston and Harpurhey.
Investigation began after Whalley Range burglary
The operation was led by Greater Manchester Police's Challenger teams, with support from neighbourhood tasking teams, neighbourhood crime teams, Xcalibre, the Tactical Aid Unit and the force's dog unit.
The investigation began after an aggravated burglary was reported at an address in Whalley Range on May 18. Officers from GMP's City of Manchester Central neighbourhood response team attended the scene and recovered Class A drugs estimated to be worth around £20,000, along with a viable firearm and ammunition.
The case was subsequently passed to the force's City of Manchester Central and South Challenger teams.
Four men arrested and bailed
As part of their enquiries, detectives identified eight people suspected of being linked to an organised crime group allegedly involved in supplying Class A drugs across Manchester.
The four men arrested during the October raids were detained on suspicion of firearms and drugs offences. All four have since been bailed pending further enquiries.
A further five men were later circulated as wanted by police and subsequently handed themselves in for questioning.
Officer: 'Substantial discovery'
Detective Constable Katie Havens, from GMP's City of Manchester South Challenger team, said: "We executed eight warrants and arrested four men in relation to a proactive investigation and recovered a significant amount of cash.
"These warrants alongside the previous finds at addresses in May have prevented dangerous weapons and illegal drugs from reaching our streets.
"This was a substantial discovery and as we progress with this investigation, we will continue to target those involved in serious and organised crime to keep our communities safe for all those who live and work across the whole of Greater Manchester."
Officers urge anyone with information about suspicious activity to contact police. People can call 101 or use the Live Chat service at the GMP website. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
GMP said it recovered 86 firearms from Greater Manchester's streets between April 2024 and April 2025, followed by a further 64 between April 2025 and April 2026. The force also reported a significant reduction in firearms discharges, with 16 recorded between April 2025 and April 2026.
