Six men arrested, two firearms and class A drugs recovered in investigation following aggravated burglary

On the 18 May 2026, officers from the City of Manchester Central Neighbourhood team were called to reports of an aggravated burglary at an address on Whalley Road, in Whalley Range.

Officers attended the scene and recovered class A drugs consisting of cocaine, crack cocaine and MDMA to the estimated value of around £20,000, as well as drug paraphernalia. During further searches of the address a viable 9mm semi-automatic firearm, along with 12 9mm rounds, were recovered.

The investigation was handed over to GMP’s City of Manchester Central and South Challenger teams. Officers identified three suspects as part of this ongoing investigation into a suspected organised crime group involved in the supply of class A drugs across Manchester.

As a result, on Monday 8 June, Challenger officers executed a warrant at an address on Withy Grove, in Manchester city centre. During searches, a viable firearm was located. Six men, aged in their 20s and 30s, were subsequently arrested on suspicion of several firearms offences. Three of the men were further arrested in relation the burglary on the 18 May.

All six men remain in custody and are being questioned by police.

Detective Paul Shacklady from GMP’s City of Manchester South Challenger team said: “We have six men in custody, and we have recovered a significant amount of drugs, and prevented two dangerous weapons from reaching our streets.

“As we progress with this investigation, we will continue to target those involved in serious and organised crime to keep our communities safe for all those who live and work across the whole of Greater Manchester.

“We rely on information from the public and we take all information received seriously. If you are concerned about suspicious activity in your area, contact police on 101 or report it via the Live Chat function on our website at gmp.police.uk. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Between April 2024 and April 2025, GMP successfully recovered 86 firearms from Greater Manchester’s streets. Between April 2025 and April 2026, we recovered another 64 firearms.

There has been a significant reduction in firearms discharges, with 16 discharges in total, from April 2025 and April 2026.