Latest news with #MeenaYasin
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Illegal products found under loo in closed-down shop
A shop has been ordered to close temporarily after illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco were found on the premises, with some products hidden under a toilet. Large volumes of illegal and potentially dangerous goods were discovered at the Drake Street Food Store, also known as Polski Sklep, in Rochdale, during undercover visits, the local authority said. The shop was also found to have sold foods not labelled in English and toys that did not meet safety standards, it added. A Rochdale Council spokesperson said that since June 2024, they had seized more than 33,000 fake cigarettes and 26kg of hand-rolled tobacco during a series of undercover visits there. The authority's deputy leader and portfolio holder for climate change and environment, Tricia Ayrton, said: "Our efforts to take these illegal products off our streets really uncover the extent these criminals will go to, to supply fake cigarettes and other items to their customers – not least concealing them in a hole under a toilet of all places." She said the people running the business "clearly" believed "they were above the law which is why we have been left with no alternative but to shut them down". Insp Meena Yasin, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "This closure order represents our work with trading standards to use enforcement legislation on business premises." A closure order was granted at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday after the council argued the illegal activity was likely to continue unless the business was closed. It will remain shut for a total of three months, which is the maximum period of time enforceable under the terms of the closure application. Cigarettes in fake packaging were found to have been sold well below standard prices at £4 and £5, with illegal tobacco products also found concealed inside the store, in a commercial bin at the rear of the property and in nearby parked cars. Several warnings were given to the director of the business, the property's landlords and shop staff, but they had continued to sell illegal goods from the premises at 138a Drake Street, the council said. Anyone who is aware of illicit tobacco or any other illegal items on sale at a local business is asked to contact Rochdale Council's trading standards team. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Illegal vapes worth over £95k seized in shop raids £10k haul of banned disposable vapes seized Rochdale Council
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
The old tactic being used in a new project to smash crime in a Greater Manchester town centre
It's the policing technique that has already made a difference in some of Greater Manchester's most notorious crime hotspots. The 'clear, hold, build' initiative was first used to crack down on so-called 'Counterfeit Street', in the Bury New Road area of Strangeways. Similar work has also taken place in Piccadilly Gardens and on the Freehold estate, in Rochdale, in an effort to curb anti-social behaviour. READ MORE: Huge M60 queues following crash on M56 READ MORE: Missing Manchester man found dead in Tenerife Greater Manchester Police has now announced another 'clear, hold, build' project for Rochdale town centre, known as Operation Tetbury. The aim is to wipe out issues which have plagued the area - with GMP listing shoplifting, drug use, 'aggressive begging', the use of off-road bikes and graffiti among the problems which 'can cause misery to people's lives'. Inspector Meena Yasin, who is leading the operation, said: "Through a combination of targeted enforcement using criminal, civil and regulatory powers, this operation will see police and partner agencies clear an area of crime and anti-social behaviour, hold that location to prevent other criminality from filling the void, and build resilience so the area is less susceptible to crime and criminal groups operating in the area. "We know that incidents can often go unreported, which is why we are committed to working with local businesses to build strong lines of communication to ensure we can tackle the issues they are facing by allocating the appropriate resources and measures. "This is the starting point of a long-term project, but we have already seen results with a number of arrests for drug dealing and shoplifting, and we will continue to build on this." GMP says the project will clear Rochdale town centre of criminal behaviour, before 'holding' the area by using a variety of police, civil and regulatory powers to prevent criminals returning. For the 'build' phase, GMP says it will 'work with partners and local organisations to build a prosperous community people feel proud to visit, work, and live in'. The force first used the approach for Operation Vulcan, which targeted the counterfeit goods trade in Strangeways before cracking down on crime and anti-social behaviour at Piccadilly Gardens. At Strangeways, the 'build' phase is intended to be more physical, with ambitious plans to regenerate the area in the years to come following the closure of counterfeit shops in the area. However, a recent Manchester Evening News investigation uncovered how the counterfeit trade has moved online with continuing links to Strangeways, prompting GMP to raid a yard close to HMP Manchester earlier this month. Last year, Rochdale officers used the same technique to crack down on gang activity and exploitation on the Freehold estate, following an M.E.N. investigation. That work, also led by Insp Yasin, saw GMP receive national recognition. In Rochdale town centre, GMP says it will work with local partners and residents to discuss the key issues affecting the area, and work with offenders by providing support and signposting them to specialist services in an effort to tackle the root causes of crime. For younger, 'lower-level perpetrators', GMP says it will work with youth services and other organisations to offer support and new opportunities to avoid being drawn into a cycle of crime. GMP says it has already identified several perpetrators and issued them with criminal behaviour orders which ban them from entering the town centre or certain shops where they have shoplifted from - with the risk of re-arrest if they flout the order. Information which could assist police in their mission can be passed on to GMP by calling 101 or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
