Tactical police officers tore suburban silence apart this morning as they crashed through the doors of properties as part of a series of organised crime raids.
The officers made nine arrests in the operation, which was the culmination of an eight-month police probe, as part of what’s known as Operation Calcite.
Each target was nicknamed after a different gemstone in the joint operation between Greater Manchester Police’s Economic Crime Unit, the Serious Organised Crime group and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).
Officers descended on newbuild red brick houses lining a small courtyard in Stretford, Greater Manchester, in a street lined with 4x4s and glossy 24 plate Minis.
Manchester Evening News reports it was just before 6am when the dawn air was suddenly filled with the sounds of crunching glass as GMP tactical aid officers dispatched the rear glass doors of a property as easily as if they were made of tissue paper.
Officers then carried out a sweep of the house. The man they wanted was in; he soon appeared in the living room in his underwear, looking bleary-eyed from the early wakeup call.
But he was given time to dress and gather the medication he needed, before being led out of his front door in handcuffs and driven away in an unmarked car.
More than 100 officers and support staff gathered at police headquarters in Newton Heath just before 5am. They were briefed by Detective Superintendent Andy Buckthorpe on the task ahead.
They then split up and headed out to a total of nine addresses across Manchester, Bury and Trafford. The targets were all British nationals between the ages of 36 and 63.
The suspects were wanted on suspicion of money laundering, fraud and organised crime offences spanning at least three years. All nine targets were in custody by 7.30am.
The individuals arrested are believed to be known to each other. The crimes they have been accused of include producing fake identities and businesses to legitimise proceeds of crimes.
Police said items of jewellery, watches and vehicles estimated to be worth in excess of £180,000 and £50,000 in cash have been seized in the searches – but ECU estimates the total value of the money allegedly laundered by the group far exceeds that.
Detective Superintendent Buckthorpe told the media: “We believe that this group has been involved in laundering up to the value of £40 million. We know it is probably the proceeds of drug dealing activity – and we know the violence that comes with that.
“People involved in that type of criminality need a means to legitimise their money, and we believe this group was facilitating that on a large scale. It’s significant, high level, very well organised and sophisticated.”
DS Buckthorpe said they believed the group were “operating right at the top tier”, moving cash through bank accounts both nationally and internationally.
He said there were also alleged links to organised immigration offences, namely the falsification of documents including passports, driving licences, HMRC documents and VISA applications.
He added: “We’ve got people coming into the UK who shouldn’t be here, coming in on false pretences. They’re claiming to be working in the UK but we believe these are facades, companies that don’t exist.
“This group has had a whole host of illegal commodities at their fingertips to facilitate the illegal travel of individuals into the country.” He said police had gathered significant evidence that should allow them to prosecute those arrested today.
And, following questioning and searches of their property, possibly identify further individuals involved. He said: “We are absolutely committed to tackling this type of organised criminality and it’s our goal and ambition to ultimately eradicate it.
“Today’s action will definitely cause disruption among criminal networks within Greater Manchester as they wake up and hear this news, and hopefully it will be reassuring to those members of the public who are rightly concerned by money laundering.
“It’s a message to those people that are involved in money laundering, fraud, document offences and that type of crime that facilitates and supports drug dealing and other serious organised crime. Anyone involved can expect a knock on their door.”
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