'Dealing in these types of drugs is becoming more and more common... people can die'

Five young men have been sentenced for dealing in dangerous prescription drugs as part of a huge crackdown in Cheetham Hill's 'Counterfeit Street'. They were caught dealing in prescription drugs like tramadol and diazepam, as well as cannabis.

A court heard the gang carried on street dealing even after they had been arrested and were released by police. Now all five have walked free from court due to the time they spent on remand.

Judge Nicholas Dean KC, the Recorder of Manchester, noting the defendants had mostly been dealing in what purported to be prescription drugs, told them: "Dealing in these types of drugs is becoming more and more common. These are to a certain extent gateway drugs to more serious class A drugs.

READ MORE: Family pay tribute to 20-year-old who died after crashing BMW into parked cars in police chase

READ MORE: Backlash after Manchester's new 23,500-seat arena Co-op Live unveils latest plans

"These are drugs that can be addictive and very damaging taken outside prescription in doses that are inappropriate. These are medicines that can lead to people being seriously ill and dying if they take too much. That's why the law takes the sale of these drugs outside prescription very seriously indeed."

A plain-clothes police officer in an unmarked patrol detained one of the gang, Mohammad Khan, while the suspect was talking to another man on March 8, 2021. The other man fled, but cops searched Khan and found three strips of temazepam tablets, the court heard.

In his VW Golf was also found a black bin liner stuffed with more drugs while a search of his parents' home uncovered digital scales and empty 'snap bags', prosecutor Adam White told Manchester Crown Court.

But Khan was released and the