A loaded assault rifle, a handgun and ammunition were found buried in a Manchester park. The weapons were in a holdall in Broadhurst Park, Moston.
GMP said two people were arrested today (Tuesday) on suspicion of possession of a firearm and ammunition in connection with the stash. A 44-year-old woman was arrested in Swinton and a 34-year-old man in Blackley in early morning raids.
The weapons were discovered on January 31 this year when police carried out a search after receiving intelligence. In the holdall were a SA80 assault rifle, with two bullets in the magazine; a blank firing Zoraki gas pistol, adapted to fire bullets; 31 9mm bullets; a silencer for the pistol; and rocks of benzocaine - an anaesthetic commonly used as a cocaine cutting agent.
In a statement, the force said: "Officers conducting warrants in relation to the discovery of firearms and ammunition in north Manchester earlier this year have arrested a 34-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman. Both remain in custody for questioning."
The arrests come as the number shootings in Greater Manchester fell dramatically this year - despite two reported incidents at the weekend. So far this year there has been 26 compared to 58 in 2021.
Detective Inspector Simon Akker, firearms officer with Greater Manchester's Serious Organised Group, said: "We located a large holdall buried in woodland in Broadhurst Park, north Manchester. In it was a Zoraki gas pistol, which have been a blank firer originally, but the barrel has been replaced making it a section 1 firearm. It was adpated to fire 9mm bullets.
"Then we also had an SA80 assault rifle. It is an unusual recovery. We don't think there are may assault rifles in criminal hands. We don't see them being used very frequently, so to recover one is significant. That has the capability of causing a massive number of casualties. It is what the British Army use in combat. It is an extremely capable weapon. A number of years ago an automatic weapon was used in Trafford. Fortunately no one was injured. Historically there was one used in a police chase. The culprit was shooting people to try and force us to stop the pursuit." The Heckler & Koch manfactured SA80 has a range of 400 metres.
Greater Manchester has seen a remarkable dip in the number of shootings in the region so far this year. DI Akker said: "We have had 26 shootings in total in 2022 - with 16 of them since April. October was the first month we have had no shootings in Greater Manchester since March 2019. When we talk about a discharge we mean a lethal barrelled weapon - not a BB gun. There are a number of investigations from the weekend so that may alter the statistics."
Last year there were 58 shootings in Greater Manchester; 2020, 77; 2019, 68; 2018, 61. Asked to explain the huge reduction in the last 12 months DI Akker said: "I think the success of Operation Venetic (police cracking Encrochat messaging software used by criminals) has had a significant impact - a real big impact on the make-up of organised crime groups. That took out a lot of criminals and there were a lot of firearms recovered. So you have taken away people who have the capability to fire and the intent.
"Also certainly in recent months here has been a really robust reaction in the event of a firearms discharge to arrest suspects or recall them to prison. This year we have recovered 68 weapons so far, in 2021 there was 116, 2020 97, 2019, 80, and 2018, 70. Earlier this year we also did a firearms surrender and 149 firearms, including air weapons, BB guns, replicas, shotguns and lethal barrelled weapons were handed in."
The reduction in shootings have also stemmed from Operation Haemus in North Manchester; Operation Naseby in Salford, and Operation Approach by GMP's Serious Organised Crime Group. Haemus was launched after a three-way violent gangland gun war between two Cheetham Hill gangs and one from Salford being. Naseby set up after a spate of shootings, arsons, and grenade attacks in Salford berween feuding factions and resulted in scores of arrests, the recovery of guns and other weapons; and the recall of criminals to prison.
Approach was set up after 12 shootings in one month in 2020 during the Cheetham Hill/Salford gangland war to target those central to it. It resulted in £150,000 in cash being seized and the jailing of a key target.
