Revealed: Tameside is cocaine capital of Greater Manchester, with drug busts accounting for 40% of all seizures

Exclusive by Michael Kelleher

Tameside is the cocaine capital of Greater Manchester, while Bury has had more than £5million worth of heroin seized in just ten months, MM can exclusively reveal.

Drug busts in Tameside accounted for a startling 38% of the total of Greater Manchester seizures over a ten month period, with Bury’s heroin problem making up more than 20% of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) seizures.  

Statistics examining drug hauls from July 1 last year to April 30 this year revealed three six-figure cocaine busts by GMP in Tameside, the largest of which had a staggering street value of £9million.

MM has also learned of two huge heroin hauls worth £3million and £2million respectively, which account for the majority of Bury’s overall total of £5,663,129 worth of drugs seized.

This is the third revelation in MM’s three part Manchester drugs exposé. We also revealed that a staggering £90,000 worth of drugs is being seized on average EVERY DAY from Manchester’s streets and cannabis accounts for 75% of drug seizures by GMP.

The table below illustrates the street value of GMP’s drugs seizures by region from July 1 2012 – April 30 2013.

Labour’s MP for Denton and Reddish, Andrew Gwynne, commended GMP for taking drugs off the streets of Tameside that were destined to be distributed across Greater Manchester.

“The amount of drugs seized in Tameside is due to a police operation in Tameside last year concentrating on various areas of crime, with drugs being one of them,” he said.

“These figures show that when the police tackle high level criminality it pays dividends, it takes both criminals and drugs off the streets.

“These high value drugs would have been destined for across Greater Manchester and beyond, causing misery to individuals and to communities.

 “I commend Greater Manchester Police in Tameside for these excellent results and taking these drugs off our streets.”

Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, was also quick to praise GMP for seizing £10,585,600 worth of drugs in Tameside.

“I fully support the police in their actions,” he said.

“It is clear from looking at these figures that the police in our area are engaged in a comprehensive effort to take illegal drugs off our streets, and tackle the criminals that profit from their sale.”

GMP also conducted a large seizure of ‘other drugs’ worth £1million at Manchester Airport which, after enquiries, MM has learned consisted primarily of MDMA and LSD.

The usage of ‘club drugs’ such as these is on the increase in Manchester according to consultant psychiatrist Dr Haitham Nadeem, of the Priory Hospital Altrincham.

He warned that using drugs such as these can have serious consequences for party-goers and urged anyone experiencing strange symptoms to visit the Priory’s new clinic in the Pall Mall Medical Centre at Pall Mall Court in Manchester.

“National figures show that despite a fall in the use of Class A drugs like heroin, the use of club drugs including ‘legal highs’ and misuse of prescription medicines is on the increase and this reflects my own experience working in the Manchester area,” Dr Nadeem said.

“It is well documented that these drugs can potentially have very serious side effects but the long-term consequences of some of the newer drugs are not yet known and that is very worrying.  

“It is vitally important that advice is more widely available and by locating a clinic in the centre of Manchester we are opening up Priory’s expertise to more people.   

“Often a problem does not come to light until the physical effects become present.

“This often results in a visit to Accident & Emergency and I would encourage anyone who is concerned about their drug use to visit the clinic to discuss the options available.”

The table below illustrates the largest drug seizures by GMP from July 1, 2012 – April 30, 2013

Picture courtesy of ilcountz, with thanks.

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