Police burst down doors of Salford homes as 43 people were arrested during a major crackdown on crime. Officers found a cannabis farm, 31 tasers, and a firearm among other items during the blitz.
Operation AVRO Targets Salford
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) carried out their operation across Salford on Thursday, June 11. Clouds of sawdust rose as tactical officers sawed down the door of an alleged drug dealer in a block of flats near the River Irwell. Passersby watched as officers used a battering ram to break in, only to find an extensive assortment of pet birds. The suspect narrowly avoided arrest.
Elsewhere, GMP discovered 31 tasers, a firearm, a cannabis farm, stolen jewellery, a zombie knife, a dangerous dog, and a large amount of Class A and B drugs. Almost £40,000 in cash was also seized, including £35,000 at one address.
Arrests and Warrants
Police began at 6am, making arrests as Salford woke up. In total, 43 people were arrested, and ten out of 14 warrants were positively executed. DCI Martyn Johnson said: "We're showing the full breadth of policing, both proactively and with community engagement. The warrants are about reacting to what the community tells us is a problem."
He added: "We listen to communities, work with them, and get good outcomes. We want as many members of the public to come and see us as possible. That builds confidence and community relations."
Community Events and Traffic Operations
As part of the operation, GMP hosted community events, including a tri-service water safety event at Salford Quays, community events at the Elsmere Centre in Walkden, and a retail crime initiative in Eccles town centre. A traffic operation throughout the day, despite persistent rain, resulted in three vehicles seized and almost 30 traffic offence reports for offences such as not wearing seatbelts, driving without insurance, using mobile phones, and illegally tinted windows.
Moving forward, GMP aims to build on community engagement. DCI Johnson said: "We'll use different tactics to engage people, different themes of policing. We've done retail crime today, but next time we might choose something different. Cyber crime is always big for us. In terms of warrants, if we get intelligence, we'll do as many as possible. That's our commitment to the public."
