An arms cache including a rocket propelled grenade was found by police during a search in Salford. The find came after GMP received specific intelligence to check an area near Kersal Moor.
The force is now trying to establish if the stash was left by an organised crime group or paramilitaries. The Manchester Evening News understands a bag of guns and grenades was found - with one being an RPA.
There have been other ammunition and firearms finds in the bordering Kersal and Higher Broughton districts relatively recently. They were recovered as part of Operation Naseby, which as specifically targeted crime gangs in Salford.
READ MORE:
On Friday morning a footpath off Heathland Road at Kersal Moor was cordoned off and a small number of residents were evacuated. Later a bomb squad was deployed and a controlled explosion carried out.
The Army were called over a 'suspicious item' found during a police search. Pictures and video footage show a Royal Logistic Corps vehicle parked up at the scene with explosive ordnance disposal officers also present. The footage shows a bomb disposal robot being manoeuvred from the back of the van.
Firearms which were recovered are being examined by forensic and ballistic experts. Before the find armed police were pictured crossing the moor as part of what GMP called "a wider operation".
In a statement on Friday GMP said: "Specialists have conducted a controlled explosion after suspicious item was found during an isolated and contained search operation in Kersal Moor. It has not yet been confirmed what the item was but explosive ordnance disposal carried out an assessment of it and deemed it to be viable.
"A number of other items - including firearms - were also recovered and have been taken away for forensic examination."
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News on Friday a local noted that police had been seen in the area for days. They said: "It's been going on for some days. I live in Kendall Road and two days ago I saw police cars whip around the corner.
"They were going at some speed. Yesterday I was going on my walk and saw another police car parked up on Kendal Moor. They must be looking for something or someone."
Another resident said the sight of armed police was 'frightening'. They said: "It's quite frightening, when my daughter read about what happened she told me not to go to the park."
In November 2020 a stash of live bullets and a shot-gun cartridge was found in Kersal by police hunting a road rage gunman. The ammunition was discovered hidden in a coppice close to the River Irwell, and just a few hundred yards from where a gunman blasted another car driver after an altercation.
The victim, a 38-year-old man, was hit in the hand after the attacker fired a shotgun during the dispute on Littleton Road, Salford. In a small wood next to the river near close to Whitewater Drive, and only a few hundred yards from Littleton Road, police using a sniffer dog located a dozen live rounds.
A week after the bullets were found shotgun, a revolver and an imitation handgun were found in another sweep by police around the Great Clowes Street area of Higher Broughton. The revolver was found in a church yard. A shotgun and imitation handgun were found in a wooded area.
In July 2019 a loaded sub-machine gun and a pistol wrapped in plastic - were found in a Weaste Cemetery, Salford, after police received a tip off.
