'I'm sick of young lives being thrown away': As a door is broken down, a cop's mission is clear

Dawn raids were carried out at seven properties across east Manchester amid a crackdown on youth and gang violence. Teams of tactical aid officers used saws and battering rams to enter the homes in Gorton and Openshaw just after 6am on Tuesday (February 11).

The 11 arrests made so far cover a range of suspected offences - including possession of class A and B drugs; possession with intent to supply; serious violence; and gang-related. A total of seven men and two women between the ages of 16 and 28 were being quizzed by detectives hours later.

Speaking outside a property in Gorton, Inspector Dan Pickavance, bronze commander of Operation Gandak, said: "I've spent over a decade, on and off, in gang violence and to be honest, I am sick to death of watching young lives be thrown away - both the victims' and offenders'.

"We're going to continue to work hard to make our communities safer and remove these criminals who are exploiting young individuals."

Searches continued throughout the day, uncovering various quantities of cannabis, heroin and crack cocaine; and weapons including 'zombie' knives.

Insp Pickavance said the results were 'very position' and said he expected the arrests, which have already shut down at least one drugs line, will have a 'massive' impact on local distribution networks.

"We can't be having this on our streets anymore," Insp Pickavance told the Manchester Evening News. "It won't be acceptable and we're not going to tolerate it. Today's operation isn't a one-off job - this is just the start.

"We are disrupting youth exploitation, drug lines, and the 'tit-for-tat' retaliation between street gangs. The community of Gorton deserves a lot better and that’s what the police are bringing back today."

Counc