Operation Venture in Oldham - police seize stolen mopeds, uncover hidden drugs in cannisters and bust established drug lines
Greater Manchester Police's Operation Venture team conducted a two-week deployment in Oldham, resulting in 18 arrests, seizure of drugs and weapons, and recovery of stolen vehicles. The operation targeted serious violence and drug-related crimes, with significant finds including hidden drugs in deodorant cannisters and established drug lines.
Operation Venture Sweeps Oldham Streets in Two-Week Crime Crackdown
Greater Manchester Police’s elite violence reduction unit seized £5,000 worth of drugs, arrested 18 suspects and removed nine vehicles from Oldham’s streets during an intensive two-week deployment targeting serious crime.
The specialist team, comprising an inspector, two sergeants and 12 officers, embedded themselves in the borough from late November through early December 2024, conducting high-visibility patrols alongside covert operations. Their presence yielded 32 intelligence submissions for ongoing investigations and recovered £2,000 in suspected criminal cash.
The operation specifically addressed a troubling pattern of fast food delivery drivers being robbed at knifepoint for cash and goods. Officers conducted nine weapon sweeps of parks and open areas linked to criminal activity, removing two weapons from circulation and achieving a 40% success rate on 17 stop searches.
Key arrests included a 27-year-old man caught with drugs and a lock knife after dangerous driving caught officers’ attention on November 19. That same day, patrols pursued two men on a stolen moped believed to be armed with weapons, later abandoning the vehicle in Derker. Five additional men were stopped in a vehicle connected to suspected burglaries.
Perhaps the most unusual discovery came when officers uncovered drugs concealed in a Lynx deodorant canister, linked to an established drug line. In another incident, plain-clothed officers witnessed a drug deal and detained three men - one in his 50s and two in their 20s - finding 100 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.
Sergeant Mohammed Waqas of GMP’s Operation Venture team confirmed the unit’s commitment to Oldham: “We will be returning to Oldham unannounced to continue our proactive policing tactic of getting out there and tracking incidents before or as they happen to help keep communities safe.”
The public can report concerns directly to 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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