Crackdown on gang members using illicit mobile phones in prison Date published: 10 April 2021
A joint-operation named Operation Dragonfire has been launched between Greater Manchester Police, HMP Forest Bank, HMPPS and North West Regional Organised Crime Unit
Illegal phones, electrical devices and drugs have been seized following an operation to crack down on organised crime gang members operating from inside prison.
Following a significant increase in the number of phone throw overs - where mobile phones are thrown over the prison walls at the prison, a joint-operation named Operation Dragonfire has been launched between Greater Manchester Police (GMP), HMP Forest Bank, HMPPS and North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU), to further the work carried out by prison staff.
Guards raid Forest Bank prison cells of top gang members and seize mobile phones and drugs We are well aware that people still try and orchestrate their empires from inside the jail
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Mobile phones, steroids, sim cards and electric contraband were found during a police operation targeting the cells of senior gang members at a Salford prison.
Tobacco, cigarette papers, cannabis, Spice-lined paper, lighters and screwdrivers were also found during an operation at Forest Bank prison in Agecroft.
Cells were searched at 4am by prison officers working off intelligence from Greater Manchester Police on those at the top of organised crime groups.
Specialist team launched to tackle gun and drug crime in Merseyside ORGANISED crime groups that bring drugs and firearms into Merseyside will be targeted by a new specialist law enforcement team launched today. Merseyside Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) aims to stop the flow of firearms and drugs into the region s criminal markets and County Lines networks. The joint team, based in Merseyside, comprises National Crime Agency and Merseyside Police investigators and will build on the work to disrupt serious and organised crime including Operation Venetic – the UK law enforcement response to the takedown of encrypted comms platform EncroChat. Operation Venetic has led to more than 100 arrests on Merseyside and more than 1550 across UK, as well as the seizure of guns, drugs and cash.
Guns and drug gangs targeted as new crime taskforce set up in Merseyside
The government funded venture between the National Crime Agency and Merseyside Police is one of the first of its kind in the UK
Guns, silencer and bullets seized in Tuebrook (Image: Liverpool Echo)
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1/1 ILLEGAL phones, electrical devices and drugs have been seized after a crackdown on organised crime gang members operating inside a prison. Following a significant increase in the number of phone throw overs – where mobile phones are thrown over the walls of a prison, a joint-operation named Operation Dragonfire was launched. Greater Manchester Police (GMP), HMP Forest Bank, HMPPS and North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) worked together on the operation. Intelligence-driven targeted cell searches were carried out and 14 phones, two devices similar to a Wi-Fi router, a large number of steroids, several sim cards and other electrical contraband were all recovered.