City centre proactive stop leads to weapon seizure as GMP continue to clamp down on knife crime

On Sunday 29 September 2024, police were on patrol when they were alerted to a car from the West Midlands driving into the city centre. It was believed that the man had connections to an organised crime group, and he was potentially travelling to our city centre to commit crime.

Officers deployed specialist tactics and swiftly blocked the car, preventing him from fleeing.

The man, Mustafa Conde (31/05/2003) of Old Hobicus Lane, Sandwell provided officers with false driving license and insurance documents in another mans name in an attempt to deceive them. Following a search of Conde, police recovered a knife hidden in his trouser leg pocket.

Conde was subject to a Serious Violence Reduction Order at the time, which is a civil order given to prolific offenders, and it allows officers to search an individual without grounds due to the likelihood of them possessing a weapon or other criminal items.

This week, Conde pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article, possession of a class C drug (Nitrous Oxide), driving without a license, driving without insurance, and obstructing police. He has been given a six-month custodial sentence.

The devastation caused by knife crime fractures our communities and destroys lives. Across Greater Manchester Police, our dedicated team for cracking down on violence and knife crime, codenamed Operation Venture has made a significant dent in criminality. To date, they’ve made 642 arrests, recovered 181 weapons and removed them from our streets, over £250,000 cash, and over £80,000 worth of drugs.

Officers from across the force also support the team as they go about their daily business, keeping the streets of Greater Manchester safe.

PC Lewis Hughes from our city centre district said: “This result shows the importance of working with colleagues from forces across the UK to keep our communities safe. The public expect us to find these people, arrest them and put them before the courts – and that’s exactly what we continue to do.”

We can all play a part in addressing knife crime. If you have concerns about someone you know or care about who is carrying or hiding a knife, or if you are aware that knives are being concealed in your community, talk to us via LiveChat at www.gmp.police.uk or dial 999 in an emergency.