Eleven arrested in connection with money laundering

A man being led away by the police following an arrest on Park Road

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Eleven people have been arrested in connection with money laundering and a number of cars have been seized following an early morning operation carried out by police in Rochdale.

Rochdale Online reporter Laura Wild joined the police this morning (Thursday 7 October 2010) and experienced Operation Blossom first hand. Read her account of what happened here…

I arrived at Rochdale Police Station at 6.30am, to join the police, community leaders and councillors.

Following a short briefing we left the station with our liaison, Superintendent Chris Hankinson, to meet with the other officers taking part in the operation.

All I knew at this stage was that police officers were going to execute warrants, with support from the tactical aid unit, in relation to the laundering of drugs money.

Police officers from Rochdale, Oldham, Bury, Tameside and Bolton were involved.

Following a briefing by Superintendent Martin Greenhalgh and Detective Inspector Chris Walker, of Rochdale CID, police vans left in convoy and arrived at Red Lane shortly before 7.15am.

I could see the officers wanted to improve the community for the residents’, whose concerns about the flash cars on their street and the ‘dodgy dealings’ are very real.

On Park Road, one of several streets in the area where the operation was being carried out, police were targeting four houses.

Although I was expecting to see doors smashed down, that wasn’t the case, the police explained that they would knock and hope the subjects would co-operate – and they did.

Once the police officers had made entry to the properties, the doors were closed.

I saw one man led away as the police carried out searches of the four properties – later today ‘cash dogs’ will also be taken to the houses.

Six men and five women were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and remain in custody for questioning.

One nearby resident who witnessed the raids commented to the police officers: “It is about time”.

We then left and headed to Littleborough Station for a debrief with Superintendent Chris Hankinson, who said: “These people think they are untouchable but they aren’t, we want to show this isn’t a lifestyle people should be choosing because they will lose everything.”

Cars, which were most probably bought with ‘dirty’ money as a result of drugs, have been seized; they included an Audi A4, a Honda, a Vauxhall Astra, a Mercedes Benz and a VW Golf GT.

Superintendent Greenhalgh, added: “It will be great when they get charged, if they get charged.

“I am pleased how it has gone so far and it is an important message that we are giving out and it is important that communities see us tackling problems.

“We want to reassure the community – no one is untouchable and we will catch them in the end.”

Superintendent Chris Hankinson concluded: “This doesn’t stop today, there will be further investigations and we will look for the bigger fish in Rochdale who think they are untouchable and prove that they are not untouchable.”

Anyone with information about drug dealing should call police on 0161 872 5050 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.