Following a 6am briefing, officers were deployed across the district to conduct a number of warrants.
Early morning warrants and enforcement activity
Yesterday morning 14 warrants took place across Bolton, including Farnworth, Brieghtmet, and Little Lever, to tackle suspected drug supply. They were conducted across a range of residential properties and industrial units. Neighbourhood officers and our Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) carried out several forced entries based on intelligence provided by local communities.
The warrants concluded in the seizure of Class A, B and C drugs, including 22 cannabis plants, over 1200 Nitrous Oxide cannisters, illicit tobacco, 17 vehicles, one machete, and a number of luxury items and cash.
Throughout the day, officers made a total of 26 arrests.
Road safety focus
Following concerns from residents, Roads Policing officers and Bolton neighbourhood teams carried out targeted enforcement across the district, focusing on speeding, anti-social driving and other dangerous behaviour.
Road safety remains a key priority in Bolton, particularly following a number of fatal collisions on the borough’s roads in recent months. Initiatives like this are carried out regularly, with officers continuing to identify unsafe driving and take appropriate action against those putting others at risk.
Drivers were also educated around the ‘Fatal Four’ offences: speeding, mobile phone use, drink and drug driving, and failing to wear a seatbelt.
During the operation, officers conducted 124 vehicle stops and issued 21 Traffic Offence Reports (TORs), including nine for mobile phone offences, 14 for seatbelt offences, three relating to illegal number plates and three for driving without insurance.
Live Facial Recognition
Members of the community may have seen our Live Facial Recognition (LFR) van in action yesterday in Bolton Town Centre, supported by officers from our Mounted Unit.
The technology proved effective in identifying wanted individuals, generating five alerts and leading to three arrests within the first hour of deployment.
Throughout the day, LFR assisted officers in making arrests for offences including failing to appear at court, harassment and drug supply.
The technology also alerted officers to individuals subject to specific restrictions or requirements, including registered sex offenders and those subject to domestic abuse protection orders. These alerts allow officers to carry out appropriate checks and ensure individuals are complying with the conditions placed upon them.
The deployment formed part of wider activity to identify wanted individuals, safeguard vulnerable people and keep communities across Bolton safe.
Partnership visits
Officers worked alongside partners including Bolton Council, Trading Standards, safeguarding teams and environmental officers to carry out targeted visits at businesses across the district.
The joint activity focused on tackling the sale and supply of illegal products within vape shops and minimarts, while ensuring businesses were operating safely and lawfully.
As a result of the visits, thousands of illegal vapes and illicit tobacco products were seized.
Community engagement
Neighbourhood teams were at the heart of the operation, spending time with residents, listening to concerns and offering crime prevention and safety advice alongside partners.
However, a significant focus throughout the day was the ongoing search for missing 13-year-old Lillia from Bolton. Alongside their operational duties, officers across the district were tasked with remaining vigilant, making enquiries and looking for any information that could help locate her.
As part of the operation, the Bolton District Commander joined officers and partners out in the community throughout the day, before making a formal appeal through the media, alongside Lillia’s mum, urging anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward.
The operation provided another important opportunity to speak directly with communities across Bolton, raise awareness of the search and ensure as many people as possible were aware of the appeal for information.
Neighbourhood Chief Inspector Mike Jennings-Wharton said: “What a way to kick off my brand new role as your Neighbourhood Chief Inspector. I started my policing career here, so I am absolutely over the moon to be back and leading our neighbourhood teams.
“The results from this operation have been outstanding and are testament to the hard work, determination and fantastic work ethic of our officers and partners. From the early hours of the morning and throughout the day, teams have worked relentlessly to disrupt criminality, safeguard our communities and tackle the issues that matter most to local people.
“I have big ambitions for neighbourhood policing in Bolton. I want our officers to be visible, approachable and working closely with the people who know their communities best.
“That is why it is so important that you tell us what is happening where you live. Whether it is drug dealing, anti-social behaviour, dangerous driving or neighbourhood crime, we need that information. Tell us what is affecting your community and my team and I can act on it.
“Operation AVRO is a great example of what can happen when communities provide us with information and we work together to turn that intelligence into action.
“Our message is clear: criminality will not be tolerated in Bolton. This activity does not stop today. My teams will continue working every day to identify those causing harm, disrupt offenders and make Bolton a safer place to live, work and visit.”
MP Phil Brickell, who attended the operation yesterday said: I was pleased to be able to join Greater Manchester Police and Bolton Council’s Trading Standards officers when they targeted rogue businesses in Horwich today
“This follows-on from concerns shared with me by local constituents around the sale of illicit vapes, including to children.
“I want to thank the officers who planned and executed today’s day of action for their work.
“I’d encourage any constituent who has information around illegality on the high street to ensure they pass that information on to the police.
“I won’t tolerate criminality in our town centres, and I’ll continue working with GMP, the Council the Home Office and wider law enforcement partners to ensure that organised crime gangs hiding in plain sight feel the full force of the law.
Bolton District Commander Helen Critchley said: “I am incredibly passionate about Bolton and the people who live and work here, and I am committed to doing everything we can to make the borough a better and safer place for everyone.
“We have extremely hardworking officers across Bolton, but policing is a team effort. Days like Operation AVRO demonstrate what we can achieve when our officers, partners and communities work together and tell us about the issues affecting them.
“A significant focus for us today, alongside the planned activity, was our ongoing search for missing 13-year-old Lillia. Officers across the district were tasked with making enquiries and remaining vigilant throughout the operation.
“I want to personally thank everyone in the community who has supported our investigation and helped us in the search for Lillia. We are incredibly grateful for that continued support, and I would urge anyone with information that could help us to please come forward.
