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Police have seized more than £17 million from criminals in Greater Manchester. The money, confiscated by Greater Manchester Police's Economic Crime Unit, is the most the force has clawed back in a year. The funds have been redirected towards initiatives that aid community projects and crime prevention schemes.
The force said the recovered cash comes from a range of policing activities, such as executing warrants and stop searches. The Economic Crime Unit also targets criminal bank accounts. (Image: Greater Manchester Police) Detective Superintendent Andrew Buckthorpe, head of GMP's Economic Crime Unit, said: "In the last tax year, we recovered the highest amount of criminal cash we have ever recovered in recent times and it really shows that the hard work from officers and staff in the unit and across the force is making a real difference in communities across Greater Manchester.
" The unit's activities continue into the new tax year, with two arrests made within the first six hours and £50,000 in cash and an £80,000 vehicle seized. These arrests were made on suspicion of money laundering in Salford and Cheetham Hill. Mr Buckthorpe said: "Just six hours into the new tax year, we started the year how we mean to go on with early morning warrants.
"We are getting more money from criminals, and this money is being used for good in the communities we serve. "Keeping the people of Greater Manchester safe from crime is our main priority, and this is a way we can give back. "Through officer’s hard work, we are in a really strong position where we continue to strip criminals of their finances which are often used to further crime in our communities.
" (Image: Greater Manchester Police) The seizure of these assets is part of the force's ongoing Operation Falcon, launched in May 2022, which aims to tackle money laundering and disrupt organised crime in Greater Manchester. The Asset Detention and Recovery Unit, comprising specialist officers and staff, is tasked with conducting civil investigations following these seizures. Using the balance of probability, officers need to have evidence to show that the money has been gained through the profits of crime.
Once the money goes to court and the case is successful, the money is then legally recovered and will be used to benefit the communities throughout the force. Read more: 'Highly intoxicated' man bent police officer's thumb back UPDATES: Traffic delays as emergency services at incident on busy Bolton road Veteran volunteer who has helped clean up the borough set to 'retire' Half of the recovered money is retained by the force to fund community initiatives, while the other 50% is returned to the Home Office. The money that is retained is either used on community initiatives or within the force to further asset recovery work, or on policing operations that will be beneficial to keeping the local community safe from crime.
Mr Buckthorpe continued: "These efforts are showing and it’s an important part of the justice system that those who benefit from the profits of crime get their finances stripped from them and aren't allowed to enjoy this money at the detriment of everyone else, and it’s even more satisfying to know that it is now being used for a good purpose.".
