Police cut off shop doors in sudden raid and find £500,000 of incriminating evidence

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Police seized over half a million pound's worth of counterfeit goods during a raid on a row of Cheetham Hill shops. Officers swooped on three connected stores on Lampson Street on Wednesday (August 3).

They cut off the shuttered doors and seized £507,000 worth of hooky items. It comes as part of Greater Manchester Police (GMP)'s Operation Vulcan, which aims to stamp out counterfeit operations in the area.

The raided shops on are thought to have been shuttered for some time – with the owners believed to hoping police activity would eventually disappear so they could start up again. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features. Sergeant Dan Cullum, of Operation Vulcan, said: “Operation Vulcan is following a strategy of clear, hold, build and over the past nine months we’ve shut down the vast majority of counterfeit shops operating out of Cheetham Hill and Strangeways. “We’re nearing the end of the clear stage however this does not signal the end for Operation Vulcan.

We are determined to uncover any remaining counterfeit shops – including finding those that might have put trading on hold and tried to pass unnoticed during our relentless raiding. “The link between the counterfeit trade and serious organised crime in has been proven and that’s why, as we move into the hold stage, Operation Vulcan officers will remain in place - making it impossible for criminals to find a foothold in the area again and creating a safer environment for the local community.”