Six people have been arrested in a series of police raids following a shooting in Oldham.
Five men and woman are being held on suspicion of various firearms, drugs and money laundering offences after three masked men opened fire on a man in Belmont Street on September 19. No injuries were reported in the shooting, which happened at around 11.15pm.
Earlier that evening, there was also an incident on nearby Radcliffe Street where threats were made with a gun. This morning, firearms officers raided properties in Oldham, Tameside, south Manchester, and Bradford.
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The warrants were carried out at addresses in Edmund Street, Shaw; Holden Street, Oldham; Groby Street, Oldham; Queen Street, Denton; Welbury Road, Wythenshawe; and Mossdale Avenue, Bradford. All of those arrested were taking into police custody for questioning.
It brings the number of arrests made in connection with the shooting to seven. Last month, police arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the shooting in Belmont Street. The man was held on suspicion of firearms offences, as well assault, burglary, and drugs offences, according to GMP.
In the aftermath the incident, a resident on Belmont Street told the M.E.N: "I hope people realise that somebody could've been killed, whether it was a child or an elderly person, one of us could've been killed last night."
Detective Inspector Nicholas Helme, the lead for Oldham’s Challenger team, said: “Tackling this issue is a force priority for Greater Manchester Police, particularly as the owners of illegal firearms often have links to serious and organised crime groups who bring about untold misery in our communities.
“While I am pleased with the results we have seen today, the work doesn’t stop there. Our officers will continue to seize and remove illegal firearms from circulation as well as pursue and arrest anyone who is involved in their purchase, conversion or supply.”
“If you have any information relating to people who may be in possession of firearms, please get in touch. The intelligence you have could save a life.”
Please call 101 if you have information to share. You can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
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