The group were ‘locked up against their will’ (Image: MEN Media/Greater Manchester Police)
Fifty people were rescued from a rat-infested fake clothes shop in Manchester’s notorious Counterfeit Street area.
The group were “locked against their will” and trapped in a building on Great Ducie Street.
Police were patrolling the area on Sunday when they noticed a man behaving suspiciously and trying to close the shutters to the premises.
The area as a whole – close to Strangeways Prison – is notoriously nicknamed ‘Counterfeit Street’ and has high levels of crime and gang activity.
When the police later managed to open the doors, a group of customers ran out of the building.
More people were found trapped in three more rooms on the second and third floors.
A 60-year-old man was arrested for the incident.
A search of the fake clothing store on Sunday found excessive amounts of rat urine and feces throughout the building, including on the shelves and on all the clothing, underwear and makeup sold in the store.
A search of the property found excessive amounts of rat urine and faeces strewn around the building (Image: Greater Manchester Police) Officers detained a man in his 60s and unlocked the doors as a group of customers ran out (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
In the basement, employees could not see the floor for boxes and bags filled with items that would have been sold after being stored in unsanitary conditions.
Greater Manchester Police said: “Officers found incredibly dangerous infrastructure and signs of exploitative labour, including an underground home-made air conditioning system which officers had made by drilling holes in pipes in the ceiling.”
Approximately 20 tons of replica clothing, shoes, perfumes and makeup were seized from the building.
Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood said: “The condition of this building was appalling and so structurally unsafe. My team found members of the public trapped on the top floor with no way to escape.
Around 20 tonnes of replica clothing, shoes, perfumes and make-up have been seized so far (Image: Greater Manchester Police) In the basement, officers could not see the floor for boxes and bags full of items (Image: Greater Manchester Police)
“This is not the first time we have had to rescue people from these buildings, but I would urge people to think twice about entering these shops.
“As our presence increased, shop owners became increasingly nervous and quickly locked the doors, no matter who was inside.
“By entering these shops, you are not only exposing yourself to danger and risk from non-permanent staff, you are also funding serious organized crime which is having a devastating impact on the local community.
“These people don’t care about your well-being; they are just trying to make some money.
More: Crime News
The fire service deemed the property unsafe and a prohibition notice was served.
The seizure was carried out by officers from GMP’s Operation Vulcan, who have been waging a relentless war on criminals operating in the Cheetham Hill and Strangeways area since October.
Around 33 organized crime groups from across the UK are known to be linked to a large cluster of counterfeit shops on Bury New Road.
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