GMP donates repurposed counterfeit clothing to local homeless charity

Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Vulcan has donated seized fake goods that have been repurposed into clothing to a local charity.

The force’s operation has seen hundreds of raids of fake goods shops along Bury New Road aka ‘counterfeit street’ over the last 14 months, removing thousands of tonnes of counterfeit items from the streets.

As a result, the operation has hit the pockets of criminals – who traded counterfeit goods and were once making millions of pounds of profits from this lucrative trade.

The force says a top priority was to minimise waste and make sure the counterfeit items were put to better use.

Officers worked alongside a specialist company to repurpose and recycle almost 1,000 tonnes of the seized fakes, turning them into safe and useful products which people can benefit from.

Some of the hats, t-shirts and gloves – which are made from safe materials – were de-branded and given to charities and local community organisations.

Items that are considered unsuitable or unsafe have been shredded to create something totally new such as bedding or blankets. 

Even the packaging and boxes that the items are sold in can be recycled into insulation for houses, ensuring none of the seized items go to waste.

This week, the team donated hundreds of items of clothes to local charity the Mustard Tree, which works to combat poverty, inequality, and homelessness in Manchester.

Inspector Dan Cullum, one of Operation Vulcan’s specialist officers, said: “The community and their needs are at the heart of Operation Vulcan and the fact that we have been able to repurpose and recycle everything and give it back to those in need really makes a difference.”

Harry Dwan from the Mustard Tree said: “This donation is gratefully received and will now be provided to those who need it most such as those sleeping on the streets, low-income families and those who are most vulnerable in the community.

“We can’t thank Tim and the Op Vulcan team enough.”