Counterfeit Street crime crackdown

Police blitz on fake goods and drugs hotspot amid rising violence

- NEAL KEELING

POLICE have been given enhanced stop and search powers to tackle outbreaks of violence in the Strangeways area.

The district, at the city centre end of Bury New Road, is infamous for being home to 'Counterfeit Street' - the largest cluster of fake clothing and goods shops in the UK.

Earlier this month £lm worth of fake gear was seized in raids by police and trading standards officers in the area.

It is also the centre for a huge black market trade in illicit prescription drugs, which has sprung up during lockdown.

The street, on the outskirts of Manchester city centre, has become the 'established epicentre for non-prescribed prescription drugs, a Greater Manchester Testing and Research on Emergent New Drugs report found.

Drug users from across the region are using public transport to travel to the area to buy medications such as pregabalin, diazepam, tramadol, zopiclone and xanax, researchers said.