GMP’s dedicated team that hunts Greater Manchester’s most wanted criminals

The Force Critical Wanted Unit (FCWU) is Greater Manchester Police’s dedicated team of specialist officers who hunt the most wanted fugitives of Greater Manchester.  

The objective of the FCWU is to locate and arrest the most dangerous offenders who pose a real and significant threat to our communities and are difficult to locate with traditional enquiries.    

These suspects are wanted for the most serious and violent types of offences, such as murder, aggravated burglary and firearms offences, and they face a charge and remanded in custody once caught and arrested.  

The success of the FCWU leaves many a dangerous criminal wondering how they have been caught.  

Figures for 2024 show the FCWU officially adopted 85 targets which resulted in 111 arrests – including seven for murder/ conspiracy to murder, 15 for attempted murder, 14 for grievous bodily harm, three for rape, six for kidnap, three for arson, five for burglary, six for drug supply and 18 for firearms offences.  

In 2023, the FCWU had adopted 78 targets and made 17 additional arrests totalling to 95 arrests.  

One example out of hundreds of the FCWU catching a dangerous criminal is that of Xaviour Wynter, who was wanted in connection to the death of Salah Eldin Adam, 21, who was fatally stabbed in Trafford in May 2023.  

On Wednesday 31 May 2023, police were called to reports of a disturbance at 7.45pm on Kings Road, in Old Trafford. Attending officers found Salah in a garden with fatal stab wounds to his neck, and sadly, he died from his injuries.  

An investigation was quickly launched to establish who was responsible for Salah’s death and the FCWU was called in locate a suspect.  

Detectives from Trafford worked with our FCWU to track down Wynter, who was wanted alongside another suspect, Demari Rose. Both fugitives were captured and brought to justice.  

On Friday 2 August Demari Rose (19/12/2003) and Xaviour Wynter (08/06/2003), both of no fixed abode, appeared at Manchester Crown Square Crown Court to be sentenced.  

Rose was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum term of 24 years.  Wynter was found guilty of manslaughter and possession of a bladed article. He was sentenced to 13 years and eight months in jail.  

Detective Superintendent Joseph Harrop, who leads the FCWU, said: “The FCWU are called in to track down suspects of the most serious and violent types of crimes, who pose a significant threat to our communities and are difficult to locate.    

“In this case, we worked with detectives from Trafford to locate Wynter, who was one of two suspects wanted in connection the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Salah Eldin Adam. He had fled the scene and was believed to be brandishing a knife.  

“Utilising our specialist team of officers, we successfully tracked down the suspect and he has since been convicted and sent to prison.   

“This is just one of the hundreds of examples of fugitives we have caught in recent years.”