Hundreds of tablets of prescription drugs including pregabalin seized by police

A huge haul of prescription drugs has been taken off the streets in Manchester.

Hundreds of tablets were found by police on Harris Street in the Strangeways area of the city centre.

The seizure off Bury New Road in Cheetham Hill included boxes marked Pregabalin - a prescription drug used to treat nerve pain and anxiety.

It has been linked to a growing number of deaths in England and Wales - and the Manchester Evening News has previously reported on tablets being widely sold on the streets in the city, with the area around Bury New Road and Strangeways on the outskirts of Manchester city centre being a hotspot.

It's feared Pregabalin is being increasingly used among the city centre's rough sleepers and drug addicts.

Police said the seizure came as part of a dedicated operation - codenamed 'Cranium' - to combat the street sale of prescription-only drugs in north Manchester.

Greater Manchester Police shared an image they said showed just some of the drugs discovered.

Boxes marked flucloxacillin, an antibiotic, and zopiclone, a type of sleeping pill, were also revealed, together with blister packs of nitrazepam.

No arrests were referenced by the force.

In a Facebook post, GMP Manchester North said: "Whilst engaged on pro-active patrols this weekend, a large amount of controlled drugs were found on Harris Street in the Strangeways area of Manchester.

"Officers from the local neighbourhood team regularly conduct patrols as part of Operation Cranium - a dedicated investigation in to the illicit supply of prescription-only medications in areas in North Manchester.

"The picture is just some of these tablets found.

"If you are the owner of these, please get in touch with us, we could do with a chat."

Last year pregabalin was