MORE THAN 50 people were arrested, some £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.
Operation AVRO, led by Greater Manchester Police (GMP), returned to Tameside on Thursday, August 13.
Officers teamed up with Tameside Council and other organisations for the latest blitz on issues including drug supply, dangerous driving, neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour.
And officers made a total of 54 arrests, executed 18 warrants, seized a large volume of class A and B drugs (including suspected cocaine and cannabis) and recovered seven cars, several vapes and illicit tobacco, as well as the money.
A series of early morning warrants were executed in Hyde, Droylsden, Stalybridge and Denton, with neighbourhood officers and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) carrying out several forced entries based on intelligence provided by local communities.
Some 10 people were arrested on a range of offences including possession with intent to supply drugs, fraud and money laundering.
Several joint visits at business premises, with GMP accompanied by Tameside Council, Trading Standards, Immigration Enforcement, Safeguarding Officers and the Environment Agency, saw 6,842 packs of illicit cigarettes and 21.65 kilograms of illicit hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated street value of more than £38,500, seized, as well as illegal THC products alongside harmful unlawful medications, 153 blunt cones, 46 packs of nicotine pouches and 116 non-compliant vape pods.
Officers also seized 120 non-compliant toys, including squishy dumplings and butter sticks, for breaches of toy safety legislation.
In Ashton-under-Lyne town centre, Live Facial Recognition technology was deployed alongside plain-clothes officers who worked discreetly to identify and locate wanted suspects.
Later in the day, weapons sweeps were carried out at four locations which had been identified as anti-social behaviour hotspots.
And while engaging with people in the town centre, two officers administered first aid to a member of the public who collapsed on a very hot day. They regained consciousness soon after.
Acting on concerns from residents, road policing officers and neighbourhood teams carried out enforcement activity across the whole of Tameside, with specific traffic check sites at Clark Way in Hyde and Dukinfield Road, Dukinfield, targeting speeding and anti-social driving.
A total of 44 traffic offence reports – including nine identified mobile phone offences, 14 identified seatbelt offences, three identified illegal number plates and three identified offences of driving without insurance – and £700 worth of roadside fines were issued.
Tameside Council’s 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 added: “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 it 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.”