Gun recovered in Brinnington as Vulcan team work to tackle weapons and violent crime

Operation Vulcan which began in Oldham, has been operating in Brinnington for just over three weeks now - and has already seized a potentially deadly firearm from the streets.

Police found the gun following a search of a woodland area along Northumberland Road. It was forensically recovered by a team of officers and is set to be assessed for its viability - including if it has been illegally converted. 

The recovery came just days into Vulcan’s deployment to Brinnington, which is seeing the problem-solving team apply their skills to the area. 

Operation Vulcan aims to tackle drug-dealing, antisocial behaviour, and vehicle crime – but getting weapons off the streets is always something officers said they will proactively look to do. 

Across a year of work in Derker, the Vulcan team seized four firearms and more than fifty other weapons, including knives, machetes, and knuckle dusters. 

Through multiple operations and teams – from the Operation Venture knife team to the organised crime specialists – hundreds of weapons are taken off the streets of Greater Manchester each year. 

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Julien, from GMP’s Operation Vulcan, said: “We have been working in Brinnington for just over three weeks, carrying out a number of proactive operations during that time. 

“Brinnington is a community full of good, hard-working people, and we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to protect them and safeguard the area from criminality. 

“Seizing this firearm is an excellent result for the team. While further assessments of the weapon are ongoing, removing it from the streets prevents it from being used for any criminal purpose. 

“If you are in Brinnington and have any concerns, please do get in touch with us. We will continue to maintain a visible presence in the area, and any intelligence you provide will be carefully reviewed and acted upon.”