Grenade exploded and nine arrested during drugs raids
A CONTROLLED explosion of a hand grenade has been carried out and nine have been arrested following drugs supply raids on six properties in Rochdale and Heywood.
Officers from the Heywood Neighbourhood and Rochdale Challenger organised crime teams led the raids at premises on Rouse Street, Newlands Avenue and Clement Royds Street, Rochdale and Gregge Street, Kay Street and Tonge Street, Heywood at around 6.30am on Thursday.
Nine people aged between 21 and 58 were arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the Modern Slavery Act, Misuse of Drugs Act and the Firearms Act as a result of the raids and remain in custody for questioning.
A cannabis farm was discovered at the address on Rouse Street in Rochdale along with a significant quantity of heroin.
On Tonge Street, a small residential street in Heywood, a shotgun, hand grenade and a quantity of cannabis was recovered, with the Royal Logistics Corps scrambled to carry out a controlled explosion.
The grenade was removed from the property and taken by the bomb squad to a field off Bury Old Road, 1.8 miles away from Tonge Street, where the explosion was confirmed to have carried out at 11.41am.
Neighbourhood Inspector for Heywood, John Cesarz, part of GMP’s Rochdale Borough said: “Thanks to the hard work of our officers we have this morning disrupted a large drugs supply chain and brought nine people in for questioning.
“As well as disrupting drugs supply, today’s operation also targeted the exploitation of vulnerable people.
“Suffice to say drug dealers have an utter disregard for anything but their own profit margins and will think nothing of targeting the most vulnerable in our society to further their aims.
“This often includes the practice of cuckooing, where criminals integrate themselves into a household by means of threats and manipulation before using the property as a base for criminality. Today’s operation would not have been possible without the support and co-operation of the local community.”