Twenty tonnes of hooky clothing were seized by police as they began a drive to demolish Manchester's Counterfeit Street. Two lorry loads of fake T-shirts; jackets; and trainers, were seized. There were even piles of the famous yellow Selfridges bags recovered, meant for customers to carry their dodgy purchases in.
As revealed in the Manchester Evening News the region's new Chief Constable, Stephen Watson, has ordered that a cluster of shops at the bottom of Bury New Road near the city centre should be flattened as they are nest of criminality. GMP's Operation Vulcan working with Manchester City Council will seek closure orders and complusory purchase orders, then the buildings will be bulldozed.
Police intelligence has linked 33 organised crime groups from throughout the UK to the stores. It is believed their oepration is linked to drug dealing, enforced prostitution, cannabis farms, and slave-labour.
Yesterday officers from Operation Vulcan, uncovered a treasure trove of counterfeit goods and weapons. At around 6:30am, officers were called to reports of a burglary on Lockett Street, Strangeways. In addition to an estimated 20 tonnes of replica clothing, officers recovered a stolen van which was being used for the burglary, containing a machete and an axe. It is believed a gang had attempted to steal another group's vast store of counterfeit goods. The building in Lockett Street was made up of five rooms stuffed with racks of clothing.
GMP say behind the shutters of several dozen such stors are hundreds and thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit clothes, medication, vapes, perfumes and drugs, all contributing to serious organised crime and money laundering in Manchester. And with that, comes violent crimes which have devastating effects on the local community and legitimate businesses in the surrounding areas.
Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood, who is heading Operation Vulcan, said: “Today was a clear example of how these counterfeit goods are bringing serious and violent crime into the area. This property was targeted for their significant amount of counterfeit goods, and this burglary led us directly to it.
“But Operation Vulcan doesn’t just stop here, we will be working closely and in innovative ways with numerous partners to tackle those criminals who are enjoying lavish lifestyles from the proceeds of their crimes at the cost of vulnerable people who are being taken advantage of. Our proactive team of specialist officers will continue to be intelligence led and work closely with local communities to stay ahead.”
If cleared the area would free up prime locations for development as Manchester city centre continues to expand. It has already spread across the River Irwell into Greengate, Salford, where huge new apartment blocks have risen. A similar regeneration is envisaged along Bury New Road - which long term could also mean the closure and demolition of Strangeways Prison parts of which are Victorian, and crumbling.
Detective Supt Blackwood said: "In terms of counterfeit goods these OCG's know Cheetham Hill is an outlet for them - so they are supplying them. They work together - so if one has a loss - North West Regional Organised Crime Unit took out 200 tonnes of counterfeit goods last year - that will be replaced quite quickly. We are talking a few days if that. We clear out a shop - it will be back in business with new shutters , all the stuff back on the shelves in a couple of days. This is why Vulcan is going for stuff which is causing most harm rather than stuff which is in our face."
The lucrative nature of the trading in the area has triggered disputes leading to fighting on the street - in which machetes have been used.
