Armed cops seize drugs and money
ARMED police seized drugs, a stolen car and cash during the latest Rochdale and Oldham raids in an operation into the criminal use of encrypted mobile phones.
Two men were also arrested during the operation on Thursday morning, March 31.
Police later confirmed class A and B drugs, mobile phones, designer clothing, a stolen car and cash suspected to have been the proceeds of crime were seized as three properties were raided.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) backed by the Regional Organised Crime Unit and armed officers executed three drug warrants at properties in Lowerplace in Rochdale, the Langley area of Middleton and Waterhead in Oldham.
The 5am raids were the latest in a huge police investigation into the criminal use of Encrochat mobile phones.
For years, the totally legal Encrochat service allowed 50,000 users around the world - 9,000 of them in the UK - to communicate in the knowledge none of their texts would be uncovered by law enforcement.
It was Whatsapp for serious criminals.
That ended when investigators hacked into EncroChat’s server in Roubaix, northern France, in April 2020.
It prompted the hugely successful Operation Venetic, the National Crime Agency investigation into the data that has been recovered, and the GMP arm of the probe, Operation Foam.
Guns, ammunition, drugs and millions in dirty cash have been seized as part of GMP’S operation.
The force says its operation ‘is a lengthy and intricate force-wide operation focused on the infiltration and takedown of the encrypted communications platform Encrochat, often used by organised criminal groups’.
Detective Constable Chris Brown, of GMP’S Oldham Challenger Team, said: “Our investigation does remain ongoing and we will continue to investigate and eradicate this type of criminal activity from the area.
“Drugs and illegal firearms in particular, blight communities and have absolutely no place amongst our community so I would encourage anyone with any information in regard to this type of activity to get in touch with police.
“Reports will be treated with the upmost seriousness and can be made in confidence.”
A 35-year-old Oldham man has been charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm without a certificate, conspiracy to import Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs, and Class B controlled drugs, and conspiracy to produce a Class B controlled drug.
A 38-year-old Middleton man has been charged with conspiracy to import Class