Police storm restaurant and homes at dawn with two businessmen arrested after ‘pizza box’ tips
Doors were smashed in as officers swooped in the early-morning darkness
11:44, 18 Dec 2025
Police breaking their way in(Image: Greater Manchester Police (GMP))
Two businessmen have been arrested in early morning raids by police investigating information that drugs are being distributed in pizza boxes. Officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) executed warrants at four addresses including two homes in Royton, Oldham, and one in Middleton this morning (Thursday, December 18). They also searched a restaurant in Oldham.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said they formed part of ‘an investigation into a suspected organised crime group (OCG) suspected to be distributing class A substances across the Oldham area.’ The raids followed information that ‘Class A drugs are being distributed, including in food containers such as pizza boxes’, the force said.
Two men in their 30s, described by police as local businessmen, have been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. They are currently in custody for questioning.
Officers from GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) swooped on a five-bedroom house in one of the raids, which were carried out before daybreak. Officers ran around the back of the property where they cut through a glass panel of a rear patio door as they forced entry.
Watch: Drone footage shows officers investigating alleged drug supply carrying out raids in Oldham and Middleton
Drone footage of businessmen arrested following tip Class A drugs being ‘distributed in pizza boxes’
A man was later led from the property in handcuffs. He had earlier been heard protesting his innocence to officers, telling them ‘I’m not a drug dealer, I’m a hard working man.’
An officer forcing entry at one of the properties raided(Image: Greater Manchester Police (GMP))
Another man was arrested in a warrant at one of the other addresses. Officers carried out searches at the three properties as well as inside the eatery, where can people can have sit down meals as well as order takeaway.
Officers entering the property(Image: Greater Manchester Police (GMP))
A number of items were seized during the warrants, including mobile phones and a ‘large quantity’ of cash, GMP said. Detective Constable Nicole Kelly told the Manchester Evening News they were acting ‘on information that local entrepreneurs in the area have been involved in the distribution of Class A, controlled substances.’
One of the suspects being arrested(Image: Greater Manchester Police (GMP))
The officer said that drug crime ‘brings misery to the local community.’ “It not only impacts drugs users, it brings wider criminality into the local area, which van lead to members of the public and vulnerable people being dragged into that criminality”, she said.
She added it was ‘important to keep communities safe and obviously that includes criminality that comes hand-in-hand with the distribution of drugs, and the profit that comes with that.’
Searches were carried out inside the business(Image: Greater Manchester Police (GMP))
Detective Sergeant Donna Youngjohns, of GMP’s Oldham Challenger Unit, added in a statement: “Following four warrants carried out this morning, we’ve arrested two men on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A as part our investigation into the suspected distribution of a controlled substance across the Oldham area.
An officer searching inside the restaurant(Image: Greater Manchester Police (GMP))
“We rely on communities to reach out to us with information if they suspect there may be illicit activity in their area, and we will act on it accordingly.
GMP said ‘we rely on communities to reach out to us with information’(Image: Greater Manchester Police (GMP))
“We are here to protect our communities from organised criminality and the harms that come along with it.
“If you want to report any suspicious activity in your area, contact us on 101 or you can also report via the Live chat function on our website. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
