Police have made a breakthrough in the investigation into long-running gang violence in Salford, arresting eight people in dawn raids.
Armed officers raided three addresses in Salford in the early hours of this morning, Wednesday 23 March.
Three men age 19, and men age 23, 24, 29, 30, 46 have been arrested.
All eight are being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and membership of an organised criminal gang.
Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe from Greater Manchester Police said: “We are continuing to make great strides in our fight against organised crime groups in Salford.
“These latest arrests are part of our ongoing efforts to relentlessly pursue and disrupt organised crime groups and we are honouring the commitment we made to fight organised criminality no matter what it takes.
“I want to remind people that they can come and speak to our officers, but if they don’t feel that they can do this, they can call Crimestoppers and remain completely anonymous.
“Now is the time to support the community and stand up to the criminals.”
Anyone with any information about the issues linked to organised crime in Salford should contact police on 0161 856 3400,101, or independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
SalfordOnline.com readers today sent in pictures of police tactical aid units and Crime Scene Investigation teams at Formby Road in Duchy, where 12 months ago a house believed to belong to a convicted drug dealer was attacked with a grenade.
Police later linked the grenade attack to a shooting at a car wash in Wigan, and the shooting of a 23-year-old man on Fairfield Street in Irlams o’th Height in Salford.
Detectives linked the violence to warring factions in Salford’s criminal underworld.
On Friday 20 March 2015, a 28-year-old man was attacked with a machete on Edward Street in Lower Broughton, near to the Palatine pub.
Police linked the violence to a revenge attack the following day on Agecroft Road in Pendlebury, where a 29-year-old man was slashed with a machete, suffering serious wounds to his chest, neck and back.
Salford stabbings: Two arrested for attempted murder in Salford machete attack
A shotgun attack on a man in Doveley’s Road, Irlams o’th Height, and an attack where a house was blasted with a shotgun on Blantyre Street in Swinton was also linked to the dispute.
Today’s arrests come in the wake of raids in February 2016 in the southern Spanish resort of Marbella where cash, guns, knives and phones were seized.
Two Salford men, named in the national press as Steven Britton, 28, and Carne Thomasson, 25, are being held in jail on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a firearm and membership of an organised crime group.
Each could be held in jail for up to four years before trial.
Read: Britain’s NCA sting six in Spain in connection with Paul Massey murder
Pictures: Paul Massey murder: Weapons arsenal seized from would-be killers
A six-man ‘execution team’ allegedly sent to Spain to avenge the murder of alleged crime boss, 55-year-old grandfather Paul Massey, were found with a huge weapons haul.
Officers found a huge weapons haul including a 9mm pistol with the serial number shorn off, several large hunting knives and machetes, brass knuckles, a baseball bat along with masks, gloves and a number of mobile phones.
Police arrested three men from Salford and a woman from Ireland.
Paul Massey, 55, was murdered outside his home in Clifton, Salford on Sunday 26 July.
He parked up and got out of his silver BMW, but as he walked up the driveway of the house was shot at several times in the street.
Witnesses saw a white male in khahi, green or camouflage top and trousers fire off several rapid fire rounds. He had the lower half of his face covered.
Read: Man in khaki sprayed bullets from automatic weapon on Salford street corner
It’s alleged that two members of the A-Team were sent to Spain to find and kill the head of the rival gang known as the ‘Anti A-Team’.
Police believe the man who ordered the assassination of Paul Massey fled to Spain in fear of his life.
Both groups were involved in drug trafficking, and had continued to settle scores in Salford and Manchester, said Spanish National Police.
It is alleged that among the members of the ‘A-Team’ was 28-year-old Steven Britton, who was jailed for five years and four months in 2009 after killing a teenager in a hit-and-run.
He was also questioned over after a man was shot seven times with an Uzi submachine gun in the Ashley Brook pub in Langworthy, Salford.
Read: Salford police chief appeals to mums after shooting of woman and boy in Winton
The violence in the wake of Mr Massey’s death included the shooting of a 7-year-old boy and his mother Jayne Hickey on their doorstep in Winton, Salford.
Primary school pupil Christian Hickey was left with permanent scarring after he was shot on his doorstep in October 2015.
Read: Bullet pulled from boy’s leg could hold key to Salford double shooting
Jayne answered the door and briefly spoke to two men before one of them fired several shots.
Armed officers on Gillingham Road in the wake of the shooting
The youngster was hit once in his left leg and his mother Jayne was struck twice.
Police are still looking for a black Audi S3 seen at 8.35pm on Monday 12 October 2015 on Dover Street in Winton.
A 33-year-old man was shot in the hip on Normanton Avenue in Weaste in August 2015.
Police close off Tootal Drive after the Weaste shooting
Police also linked that to Paul Massey’s murder.
All eight of the men arrested today remain in police custody for questioning.
