Police’s serious organised crime squad strike at addresses in Bolton

This was the scene as Greater Manchester Police carried out a series of dawn raids across Bolton and Tameside.

At around 6am on Wednesday, officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Group executed 12 simultaneous warrants following a year-long investigation into a suspected organised crime group.

Supported by the Tactical Aid Unit, officers forced entry to a number of properties as residents across the borough were still asleep.

Among those arrested were two men in their 20s at addresses on Hurst Street and Rishton Lane, both on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Officers also recovered what is believed to be around two kilograms of cocaine during searches.

Intelligence gathered during the investigation also led officers to a shipping container at a self-storage facility on Folds Road. Inside, police found a safe containing cash, a cash-counting machine and several large packages of suspected cocaine.

A further £50,000 in cash was seized elsewhere during the operation.

In total, eight men and one woman aged between 20 and 56 were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Police say the raids were the culmination of almost 12 months of intelligence gathering, with enquiries continuing and further arrests possible.