Bolton benefits from Operation AVRO again as it looks to keep people safe

Coming back to the town, working closely with local partners, including Bolton Council, the day of action built on its initial impact in June 2022.

A total of 52 arrests were executed after 18 warrants were conducted throughout Tuesday 16 May 2023 as part of GMP’s force-wide initiative, Operation AVRO.

Arrests made varied from being on suspicion of assault, to theft and possession of a bladed article. They also included burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and cannabis cultivation. With all areas covered from Breightmet to Farnworth to Halliwell and Tonge as well as Horwich and Little Lever.

Results saw a large, highly sophisticated cannabis farm uncovered, after acting on intelligence from the public through Crimestoppers, along with several traffic related offences and a knife being recovered from the street.

Working with Bolton Council’s trading standards team, around 17 premises were also raided, and a large quantity of illicit tobacco and nitrous oxide being taken off the streets thanks to the specialised work of sniffer dogs.

The sniffer dog alerted the team to the wall of a shop which revealed an improvised hydraulic lift system full of illegal tobacco products. All of which can help fund organised crime if left undetected.

Alongside making arrests for wanted people and seizures, early morning warrants were conducted, across the district whilst officers from the force’s Specialist Operations Branch supporting key local district priorities after a briefing in the centre at the town hall’s Victoria Square.

Officers from the GMP Traffic department were out on the roads of Bolton and recorded a total of 354 traffic offences with 282 of those related to speeding at two check sites throughout the day.

A total of eight vehicles were seized and six arrests made, which included, illegal tinting, drug driving and no insurance. In addition, 27 taxi licencing checks were conducted along with partner agencies.

A focus throughout the day was keeping the roads safer for both drivers and pedestrians, along with a priority to Operation Sceptre, a bi-annual national campaign week of action that specialises and increases the awareness of knife crime, something that affects all communities with GMP determined to detect it, reduce it and prevent it.

One area of prevention is officers delivering knife crime workshops to local primary schools, so pupils understand and learn about the dangers and consequences of carrying knives.

Working in conjunction with the prevention of crime is the care for victims through the dedicated Victim Services branch at district level, ensuring they are being supported. Out of the 52 arrests, 21 had victims attached to crimes, with some being contacted by victim support to offer their services. This enables people in the local community to benefit from specialised support after being a victim of crime, something GMP is continuing to tackle head on.

Chief Superintendent Steph Parker of the Bolton district was again extremely pleased with the response and collaborative working, including from the public, to ensure crime continues to decrease in the area.

She said, “Over the past 12 months we have listened to the community, and we know that your concerns are around dangerous and speeding drivers, drugs, anti-social behaviour, and serious violence.

“Please keep talking to us, we need to know what matters to you, and how we can make Bolton a safer and stronger community.

“Operation AVRO is a successful operation to do the police work we are trained to do.

“The officers want the public to feel safe and we will do our best with the information and intel we have to make the streets safer.

“I also want to encourage people to report things and to give us intel because in many cases we make arrests after gathering intel given to us by the public, so it does help us massively.”

Garry Parker, Bolton Council’s Assistant Director for Environment and Regulatory Services, said:

“This was a great example of partnership working, with our enforcement officers collaborating closely with Greater Manchester Police to clamp down on illicit trading.

“This council has a zero-tolerance policy towards those who damage our communities by selling illicit tobacco, illegal vaping products, nitrous oxide for recreational use, and other harmful goods.

“Products like this put public safety at risk, undermine confidence in legitimate businesses and, in some cases, help to fund organised crime.

“Today’s raids were possible thanks to the information we received from concerned members of the public.

“I would urge anyone who suspects a business of offering harmful goods, or selling to underage customers, to let us know so we can hold those responsible to account.”

What is Operation AVRO?

Operation AVRO is a force wide initiative that delivers extra resources and specialist officers to a different district within Greater Manchester each month after it launched in October 2021.

Since then, it has travelled around the force with the operation targeting crimes and concerns that members of the public in that district have told GMP give them the most concern.

For more information, visit: Operation AVRO | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk)