Drugs, contraband cigarettes and laughing gas seized during Wigan police spring crackdown

Officers from GMP Leigh, Atherton and Hindley have reported back from a busy few weeks of crime-cracking which has also included making arrests for theft and imposing closure orders on homes which have been a magnet for offences and anti-social behaviour.

Stepping up of patrols at the Parsonage Retail Park in Leigh has been credited with a marked reduction in trouble there but so too has work with Wigan Council to divert young people away from crime and causing nuisance with more prositive activities.

The report says there has been the targeting of shops that have been selling alcohol and other prohibited items to children in the area.

During the last fortnight officers conducted a joint operation at shops in Leigh where concerns had recently been raised and two premises were caught selling items to children.

They also seized illegal cigarettes and a large quantity of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) capsules. Enforcement action is being taken against both premises.

A police spokesperson said: “We’ve had a lot of success targeting drug dealers across Leigh. We’ve executed search warrants at premises on Railway Road and Rogerton Close with drugs recovered and arrests made at both locations.

"We’ve also arrested several individuals for dealing drugs on the street, including on Westwell Street, Northwell Street and Peel Street.

"As well as recovering drugs and making arrests we’re also actively seeking to take the proceeds that criminals are making from the drugs they’re selling.

"At one of the search warrants we executed we seized the occupant’s car and numerous other items that we believe were purchased with the money they'd made from their activities.

"Eventually money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act gets returned to the community, which will hopefully undo some of the damage caused by drugs in local area.”

The spokeperson added that police have recently worked with Wigan Council to obtain closure orders at addresses on Ludlow Drive and Hawthorn Grove that have been linked to incidents of crime and/or anti-social behaviour.

Targeting burglars and car thieves remains a priority too, and officers recently arrested a man on suspicion of a theft from a motor vehicle on Chestnut Drive, Leigh.

And after receiving many reports about off-road bikes being used illegally, particularly in Leigh West ward further bikes have been seized on Cameron Street and on land near to Westleigh Brook, following seizures last month at Bickershaw Country Park.

Police say they have also received some information about addresses where bikes are being used so further enforcement action will follow.

Residents are being asked that if they know of an address from where bikes are being used illegally and it is causing a nuisance, they should let police know, anonymously if necessary.

If they have a photo or footage of someone riding a bike illegally in the area e-mail [email protected] and officers say they will see if they can pay them a visit, but residents are urged not to put themselves at risk taking a picture.