Two men have been arrested after police stormed the building of a recently-closed nursery in Salford and uncovered a gun and ammunition. Officers acting on information raided the former Mini Fingers Day Nursery on Liverpool Road in Irlam on Wednesday evening (October 7). The nursery had been ordered to shut down earlier that week due to a rat infestation, which police said was unrelated to their investigation.
Inside, police found a gun and a substantial quantity of ammunition. Two men, one in his 50s and one in his 30s, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, namely cocaine and cannabis. They were taken into police custody for questioning.
Police 'potentially prevented a serious incident'
Detective Inspector Rich McCorry, from GMP's Serious Organised Crime Group, said: "This operation demonstrates our continued commitment to disrupting serious organised crime and removing dangerous weapons from our streets. Acting on intelligence, officers executed a warrant at a business premises in Irlam, where a firearm and a substantial quantity of ammunition were recovered."
He added: "The seizure of any firearm is significant it prevents the weapon from falling into the wrong hands, and we have potentially prevented a serious incident occurring recovering this gun. I would like to thank officers from our Tactical Aid Unit and Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit for their support during this operation. We will continue to target those involved in organised criminality and pursue anyone seeking to profit from the supply of illegal drugs or the possession of firearms."
Nursery shut due to 'entirely-unrelated matters'
The nursery was ordered to shut down on Friday, October 2, after inspectors from Salford Council's environmental health department discovered vermin in the building. Parents were told on Monday, October 5, that the nursery would close for good, with an email citing a collapsed drain under the baby room and vermin burrowing into the main building. The manager said she was 'devastated' by the closure.
The nursery surrendered its Ofsted registration earlier that week, according to Salford Council. Parents shared their 'disappointment and disgust', with some raising concerns the nursery had known about the infestation for some time. The local authority's children's services department has been working with affected families to find alternative childcare. A council spokesperson said: "Environmental Health and Children's Services officers took proactive and decisive action, issuing a prohibition order after we were alerted to an environmental issue at the nursery. This will be a stressful and unsettling time for parents and carers. However, our officers are working with families to help them find alternative childcare provision in the community."
