Three-way gang war on streets
THREE crime gangs are involved in a bitter drugs and gun war.
For a year, there have been titfor-tat shootings and machete attacks between two gangs based in Cheetham Hill.
But after an escalation in violence in the last four weeks, police now believe a third outfit – from Salford – is also involved.
The root cause of the initial dispute, which began in September last year, was the control of the supply of crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis. It is now being fuelled by new tensions caused by personal vendettas and feuds.
The violence reached new heights on Tuesday night when a 27-year-old man was shot in Manton Close, in Salford.
GMP launched Operation Haemus in 2019 to tackle the Cheetham Hill war, which began when the windscreen of a car was blasted by a gunman on Spender Avenue. Two men were shot in the legs in November in an afternoon drive-by shooting in Cheetham Hill Road, and a teenager was left with potentially life-changing injuries after being shot on Spender Avenue in January.
There was a lull in the violence during the summer, but the intense feud has again exploded.
Following three more recent firearms incidents – one on September 6 on Murray Street; a second on September 12 on Heath Street; and the shooting on Tuesday – police have widened the scope of Operation Haemus.
Intelligence suggest the most recent incidents involve one of the Cheetham Hill crime groups and another group from Salford.
Officers focusing on the criminal activity of the crime groups have made over 25 arrests.
The latest development means officers from Manchester will work closely with officers from GMP’s
Salford division in a bid to disrupt the gangs and end the violence.
Manchester and Salford councils will assist, with children’s services staff drafted in, in a bid to stop teenagers on the periphery of the violence getting caught up in it.
GMP’s Superintendent Rebecca Boyce said: “We know that these tit-for-tat incidents are targeted and are occurring between different organised crime groups. What we don’t want is for an innocent member of the public to be hurt.
“As we have said before however, we cannot do this alone and I would really urge with information to please get in touch with us as a matter of absolute urgency.”
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 61146 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.