Arrests made and illegal good seized in crime crackdown
More than 50 arrests were made, over £60,000 in cash seized and thousands of illegal products removed from the streets during a day of action targeting crime and anti-social behaviour across Tameside.
Operation AVRO, led by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and supported by Tameside Council and other partner organisations on Thursday 13 August, brought together officers and specialists to tackle issues that matter most to local communities, including drug supply, dangerous driving, neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour.
The operation saw a series of early morning warrants carried out in Hyde, Droylsden, Stalybridge and Denton. Acting on intelligence from local communities, officers executed warrants at residential and business premises, leading to 10 arrests for offences including possession with intent to supply drugs, fraud and money laundering.
Across the day, GMP made 54 arrests, seized large quantities of suspected Class A and Class B drugs, recovered seven vehicles and seized more than £60,000 in cash.
Council officers joined police and partner agencies, including Trading Standards, Immigration Enforcement and safeguarding teams, to carry out visits to businesses across the borough. In total, 6,842 packs of illicit cigarettes and 21.65kg of illicit hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated street value of more than £38,500, were seized. Thousands of illegal vapes, illicit tobacco products, illegal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products and unlawful medications were also recovered, alongside 153 blunt cones, 46 packs of nicotine pouches and 116 non-compliant vape pods. Officers additionally seized 120 non-compliant toys, including squishy dumplings and butter sticks, for breaches of toy safety legislation.
Road safety also formed a key part of the operation, with targeted enforcement taking place following concerns raised by residents. Officers carried out traffic checks across the borough and issued 44 traffic offence reports for offences including mobile phone use, not wearing seatbelts, having no insurance and displaying illegal number plates.
Neighbourhood officers and partner organisations also spent the day engaging with residents, listening to concerns, providing crime prevention advice and carrying out activity in areas identified as anti-social behaviour hotspots.
Tameside Council Executive Member for Towns Transport and Connectivity Cllr Stephen Homer, who is responsible for community safety, said: “Operation Avro is a fantastic example of how we work alongside Greater Manchester Police and our partners to address the issues that matter most to residents.
“By working together, we can make a real difference in creating a safer, cleaner and more supportive borough for everyone.”
“I would like to thank everyone involved in the day, as well as those who continue this work throughout the year. Their dedication and commitment help make Tameside a better place for all.”
Chief Inspector James Grundy from GMP’s Tameside district said: Operation AVRO is all about listening to our communities and taking action on the issues that matter most to them. We concentrated our capacity by utilising officers from right across GMP and brought in a range of specialists, enabling an intensive focus on tackling crime and ASB in Tameside.
“From the early morning warrants through to our work across the whole of Tameside including the town centres, on the roads, and engaging with our communities; today has showcased the dedication and commitment of officers and partners across the district.
“Our communities deserve a safe place to live, work and visit. Today’s results demonstrate that we will relentlessly pursue offenders, disrupt criminality and use every tool available to keep our communities safe.
“Operation AVRO has been a fantastic example of proactive policing in action. The message is clear: if you choose to commit crime in Tameside, we will come after you."
Operation AVRO is part of ongoing work between GMP, the council and partner agencies to support the priorities of creating safe communities and tackling the issues that have the greatest impact on residents' daily lives.
