47 arrests, 20 warrants and hundreds of traffic offences: Operation AVRO yields successful results in the City of Manchester

Operation AVRO returned to the City of Manchester on Thursday 14 September 2023 and saw high-visibility policing disrupt criminal activity across the district.

Early morning warrants took place in Blackley, Fallowfield and Miles Platting, uncovering large amounts of weapons and drugs.

AVRO is a force-wide initiative that delivers a surge of extra resources and specialist officers to a different district within Greater Manchester each month.

The day saw GMP engage in a number of activities through proactive policework, tackling the issues which matter most to the community.

A total of 47 arrests for a range of offences, including drug supply occurred during the day of action. 

Officers from Operation Vulcan, GMP’s dedicated team tackling organised crime, were on patrol in Piccadilly Gardens, conducting high visibility deployments and weapons and drugs sweeps in the city centre.

One warrant on River Street resulted in a male being arrested on suspicion of the production of class A and B drugs.Cash estimated to be over £100,000 and a large amount of both class A and B drugs were seized, also estimated to be over £100,000 worth or drugs.

A total of 282 traffic offences were committed, including 210 speeding offences. 18 vehicles were seized across the district.

Speed enforcement was conducted at a number of sites, with a high speed of 96mph in a 50mph zone on Wilmslow Road.

Elsewhere, community engagement and crime prevention advice was displayed at Asda Eastlands and officers worked with local partners to tackle anti-social behaviour in the city centre.

Thousands of illegal vapes were also seized in partnership with Trading Standards and Vulcan officers, a total value of £38,500.Superintendent Paul Walker, Commander for the City of Manchester, said: “AVRO utilised officers from across Greater Manchester and managed to secure impressive results across the board.

“We focused on arresting wanted people, executing warrants as a result of intelligence received from the community and targeting those who use our road networks for criminality.

“It was a successful day full of public engagement with our officers and I want to thank our team and the wider public for their continued support.”  

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 and launched in Salford 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)