Operation Venture seize knife and arrest 16-year-old in Manchester

Operation Sceptre - a national week of action targeting knife crime - landed this week and across Greater Manchester police officers have intensified activity to keep the pressure on knife crime.

Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) Operation Venture team were set up to clamp down on serious violence and for them the work is largely business as usual.

Today (18 May 2023), the team were deployed to Harpurhey in Manchester and after sighting suspicious activity a male was pursued by officers.

A 16-year-old male was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of a bladed article. He remains in police custody at this time for questioning.

Around 80 wraps of substances believed to be crack cocaine and heroin were seized along with a lock knife.

Sergeant Mohammed Waqas of Operation Venture said: "My team are dedicated to clamping down on serious violence across Greater Manchester and weeks of action like Operation Sceptre help bolster the work that we’re already doing every day.

“We’ve been stepping up the enforcement and are seeing positive results in that we’re getting more knives and other dangerous weapons off the streets and arresting those who carry them.

“Enforcement is an important part of keeping people safe but we know we can’t enforce our way out of the problem. There’s also a lot of preventative work going on behind the scenes particularly around early intervention work and the team have been engaging with many schools and talking to kids about the risks of carrying knives.

“You can’t measure prevention so it’s often less visible than locking someone up but it’s just as valuable if not more so when it comes to keeping communities safe. And if we can make even one person think twice before they leave the house with a knife it will be worth it as it could save someone’s life.”

We all have a part to play in fighting, preventing and reducing knife crime. If you know or suspect someone is carrying a knife, please report it immediately - before it is too late. You can contact GMP via gmp.police.uk or 101.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers also have a dedicated website which enables 11 – 17 year olds to pass on information anonymously – this can be accessed through Fearless.org

In an emergency, always dial 999.