In the shadow of Manchester's cranes and skyscrapers, hooky gear worth 'tens of millions' is believed to be lurking in metal storage containers. Seven months since launching Operation Vulcan, Greater Manchester Police has blitzed Strangeways' infamous counterfeit trade.
From 206 known dodgy shops in the area around Bury New Road and Great Ducie Street commonly known as 'counterfeit street', police believe there to be just one or two remaining. An incredible 414 tonnes of counterfeit goods has been seized in that time, worth £62 million to the criminals involved, while 1.3 million tablets of illicit prescription medication have been recovered.
The team involved believe the notorious area has become 'unrecognisable', with legitimate businesses now keen to move in. But they know the illegal trade is not confined to the handful of streets overlooked by HMP Manchester's watchtower.
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"We've closed down the vast majority of the counterfeit stores on Bury New Road," said Detective Chief Inspector Jen Kelly, who is leading Operation Vulcan alongside Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood. "Now we're tackling the upstream - the supply, the storage - just to show these criminals that wherever they go, we will follow them."
Since 7am yesterday (June 20), GMP has been on site at a self storage compound on Honey Street, off Redbank in Cheetham Hill. The compound has 137 vivid blue metal containers stood side-by-side.
The Vulcan team will be searching every container for illegal goods linked to the counterfeit trade and drug supply. At least 50 tonnes of items were seized on their first day at the site, with at least 50% of the containers searched containing items of interest for GMP.
"When you've got this much to go at in terms of criminal behaviour, you can't not do it," DS Blackwood told the Manchester Evening News. "This would have been supplying the [counterfeit] shops of Cheetham Hill, but now we've cut that at the knees."
Forensics officers are on the site gathering some items from the units in bags of evidence to assist ongoing investigations. Most of the items - such as clothing, 'luxury' bags and jewellery - are being rounded up and stored in a lorry before they are recycled or donated where possible.
Illicit medication has also been recovered from the site - the type of items which were 'historically in large supply' along 'counterfeit street', DCI Kelly says. She added: "We're seeing a massive impact on that supply chain, really great successes.
"But this demonstrates that we're still going to pursue all areas of criminality here - including the drug supply, including the counterfeit goods - to wherever it goes." While the items discovered at the storage yard could have previously been sold on Bury New Road, that trade could have moved online or elsewhere following the efforts of Operation Vulcan.
It's a shady market that GMP wants to cut in its entirety. "Although we've seized 450 tonnes of counterfeit goods and 1.3 million tablets, we know that there are still places like this storing the goods," said DCI Kelly.
"We don't want those people to set up elsewhere or to sell goods online because we need to protect the public from these goods and from the drugs. We're going to pursue them to prevent them from profiting from this criminal activity."
The work of Operation Vulcan has had a huge impact on the finances of organised criminals working in the counterfeit trade. Following three raids which took place last week, items worth £2.8 million on the 'grey market' were seized.
But the counterfeit trade's financial impact on the economy is far greater. GMP says the 414 tonnes of items recovered in seven months would be worth £620 million if the items were authentic, sold by proper retailers and taxed.
Yet the biggest impact Operation Vulcan could have is on the face of the Strangeways area - from shady streets where drug dealing and violence was once rife, to a part of Manchester where residents and legitimate business owners can feel much safer. GMP has worked with the fire service to make 'counterfeit street' buildings safe, and now the force says people are wanting to open new businesses.
Cops have also worked with Manchester Council, trading standards, Border Force and immigration enforcement officers to tackle the criminal networks that once thrived in the area. DCI Kelly says people are already noticing a difference and her team have been thanked for their 'relentless' work.
"This area is going to be unrecognisable in the future and rebuilt," she said. "We are not going to let these criminals return."
