Shoppers heard shouting for help after being locked inside a premises on Manchester's notorious 'Counterfeit Street' were rescued by police. A group of 30 people were found 'huddled' inside the shop in the Strangeways area after officers forced entry.
They were trapped after a staff member locked up and fled when police were spotted patrolling the area. Among the shoppers was an elderly lady among them who had a broken arm and needed assistance getting down the steep and narrow flight of stairs to the exit.
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Police then searched the building and found a 'rabbit warren' of single room shops selling counterfeit designer clothes, watches, electronics and various other goods. There were so many items it took officers five days to seize and log it all.
The rescue, which took place last Tuesday, is the latest action in Operation Vulcan, GMP's crackdown on the sale of counterfeit goods and gangs operating out of the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways area.
Det Supt Neil Blackwood said: “Our officers had a duty of care to force their way in and safeguard the individuals who had been trapped inside a building that was structurally unsound, utterly unsafe and from which they had absolutely no means of escape. I appreciate that at Christmas time everyone wants to find a bargain, but by going to these illegal shops in the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways area, consumers are not only funding criminality, they are also putting themselves in very real danger.
"This isn't the first report we've heard of members of the public being locked in – sometimes for hours – and we've even received reports of customers being assaulted by staff. This latest seizure will make a dent in the finances of criminals but where Operation Vulcan will make the most impact is if members of the public start to shun these illegal businesses.
"They are bringing devastating harm to our communities and those running them have no regard for your safety or welfare."
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