GMP'S war on organised crime POLICE

THE chilling reality of organized crime and drugs gangs operating across Greater Manchester was laid bare in often harrowing detail,

- PAUL BRITTON

Over three nights, BBC crime documentary series The Detectives gave a graphic insight into the lengths OCGS will go to peddle their evil trade and maintain a violent grip over their 'turf' at the expense of vulnerable addicts, complete innocents and even children duped and lured in with false promises.

The cameras followed the valiant and ultimately successful work of a specialized Greater Manchester Police team to bring down 'The Adam' gang, operating on Rochdale's Newbold estate.

Tree surgeon Cameron Brooksbank, then aged just 18 and working nearby, stepped in to diffuse a minor road rage incident, but was set upon later by a mob of 20 men, one armed with an axe.

Cameron, who died earlier this year aged 24, was struck by the axe in the armpit and then on his wrist as he desperately tried to shield his head from another blow.

His severed hand was partially reattached, but Cameron required a further five surgeries.

His attacker Mohammed Awais Sajid, also known as 'Skinny, went on to be jailed for 18 years.

He was summoned to the scene by Habibur Rahman, who was later jailed for four-and-a-half years after punching another of the tree surgeons working nearby while wearing a knuckleduster.

A raft of other jail sentences followed, with the TV series following the painstaking police investigation, the court cases and the fallout from the entire ordeal.

The terrible attack on Cameron, however, happened back in October 2017 - more than six years ago. Senior Greater Manchester Police detectives say they are under no illusions over the continuing scale of organized crime 20 in the city region but have given the M.E.N. an insight into the vast amount of work and increasing resources being pumped in to smash the gangs.

A so-called 'county line' is a gang involved in importing drugs into one or more areas using a dedicated line of communication, a £3 mobile phone or social 24 media.