Launch of 'action days' to tackle organised crime in Salford

GMP's dedicated operation to tackle serious and organised crime in Salford has launched the first in a series of action days to continue the disruption of criminal activity across the district.

Officers from GMP's Salford division will be undertaking regular action in the coming weeks as part of Operation Naseby's disruption hub - formed in April earlier this year to reduce the activity of local organised crime groups.

Today (Wednesday 22 October 2020), a dedicated team are searching Buile Hill Park for any firearms and other dangerous weapons that may be present in the area and need removing from the streets - potentially to be used later as evidence for ongoing investigations.

Other similar searches are expected to take place across the district sporadically over the next six weeks and officers are reassuring the public not to be alarmed if they see such activity taking place.

The public are encouraged, as ever, to speak to high-visibility patrols with any concerns or information they may have with the knowledge that information will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Since the inception of the Operation Naseby disruption hub in April, there have been 126 arrests, 109 vehicles seized and 48 house searches.

GMP have also been working alongside partners in Salford City Council as part of Project Gulf, an initiative dedicated to tackling organised crime in the city with a view to deter reoffending as well as taking down criminal groups.

Detective Inspector Rebecca Mills, of GMP's Salford division, said: "Today is the start of a series of action days across Salford where our officers are increasing their methods of disrupting criminal activity by serious and organised crime groups in the area.

"This is part of our ongoing Operation Naseby disruption programme which has seen some significant advances made in tackling the type of crime that causes such risk and harm to those who are most susceptible in our society to such activity.

"I'd like to reassure the public that the work going on in the commencing weeks is part of this ongoing operation and there is no known risk to the wider public.

"We do urge anyone with information regarding organised crime in Salford to contact police or our high-visibility patrols that operate in our communities - as the greater the information we have available to us, the more successful our work in tackling these groups will be."

Anyone with any information should contact police on 101 quoting Operation Naseby. Details can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.