Watch: the dramatic moment armed police bust Manchester crime gang and find a GRENADE in a man’s pocket

Dramatic video showing the moment police swooped on a Manchester organised crime gang member - and found a grenade in his pocket - has been released.

The footage was shared with the public as the group, which was involved in the supply of drugs and transported weapons, was jailed for more than 45 years.

Police ran a lengthy surveillance operation to catch the group.

And the footage shows how officers dramatically apprehended one of the offenders on the road by smashing their way into his car.

What has the group been sentenced for?

In total, 11 people have now been sentenced as part of Operation Brooks, which was set up to bring the criminal gang to justice.

The final offenders learned their fate at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday (22 February).

Four of them - 32-year-old Jodie Bowie, 52-year old David Bowie and 53-year-old Janice Bowie, along with Chelsea Davies, 28 - received suspended jail sentences.

Lee Bowie, from Newton Heath, will be sentenced at a later date.

They were all in the dock for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to transfer criminal property and money laundering.

Six people have been jailed in the massive police operation.

Jonathan Walsh, 34, of Warwick Road in Failsworth, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering and was later found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm, conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to possess an explosive device after trial at Manchester Crown Court in September 2021. He was sentenced to 15 years behind bars.

Anthony Jones, of Parkview Road in Liverpool, was found guilty after a trial at Manchester Crown Court in June 2021 of conspiracy to possess ammunition and conspiracy to possess an explosive device and sentenced to 15 years.

Joseph Raymond Grey, 57, of Hopgarth Walk in Manchester, pleaded guilty to firearm offences and he later pleaded guilty to drugs and money laundering and was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court in September 2021.

Kaylum Davies, 24, of Pirie Walk in Newton Heath, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A heroin and conspiracy to supply class B (amphetamine and cannabis), for which he received a three-year sentence.

Noel Walsh, 38, of Cattlin Way in Oldham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B and money laundering. He was sentenced to three years.

Geoffrey Keenan, 54, of Clough Road in Failsworth, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B drugs and possession with intent supply cocaine and heroin. He was sentenced to two years and four months.

How was the group caught?

The court heard how the group’s ringleader Jonathan Walsh operated the supply of drugs and – after detectives locked up his associates - he later used his partner’s family to collect and transport the drugs and weapons.

Officers first conducted a strike targeting suspected drugs and firearm transporter Joseph Grey in Manchester in January 2019.

At the time of the strike, Grey was carrying a firearm with over 100 rounds of ammunition and a homemade improvised grenade in his jacket pocket which he had collected that evening from an address in Merseyside before travelling back to Newton Heath.

Following his arrest Grey’s house in Newton Heath was subsequently searched and officers found an encrypted phone, 9kg of cannabis in vacuum sealed bags with a street value of £90,000, and 3.6kg of amphetamine which, if mixed further, would have had a street value of £100,000.

Walsh then recruited Kaylum Davies who was caught in March 2019 after uniformed officers pulled his car over while driving on the A617 towards Mansfield. While searching Davies and his vehicle, officers found a small amount of cocaine, a knuckle duster, and an encrypted phone.

A further search of his home on Pirie Walk in Manchester also found items including heroin, cannabis, a pistol, and body armour.

Police then searched the home of Kaylum Davies’ sister, Chelsea Davies, and her partner Noel Walsh, who is the brother of the group’s ringleader and who was already in custody following an unrelated conviction. During the search they found 14kg of amphetamine and an encrypted mobile phone.

The Bowie family were then enlisted to help transport the drugs and cash between Manchester and Mansfield.

On 3 July 2019 police identified an address frequented by Walsh on Clough Road in Failsworth, the home of Geoffrey Keenan.

The following day officers moved in to make the arrest but Walsh fled from the scene in his vehicle, ramming a police vehicle and mounting the kerb to make his escape despite local school children returning home.

During the search, police located 15kg of cannabis with a street value of £150,000. Keenan had fled on foot but was arrested when he returned home later in the day.

Jonathan Walsh was arrested within the hour when he was collected by his partner in crime Jodie Bowie and returned to their lavish home at Medlock Road in Woodhouses.

The house was then searched where police found over £10,000 in cash and designer clothing valued at over £94,000, despite the fact that Walsh had not declared earnings since before 2013 and Jodie earned less than £20,000 per year. Walsh was subsequently arrested.

The Clough Road property was searched again days later. During the second search a double plug socket wall safe was discovered with 50 foil wraps of heroin, 33 foil wraps containing cocaine and one bag of heroin and one of cocaine inside. Fingerprints of Kaylum Davies were then found on these foil wraps.

In a coordinated strike day on 16 October 2019, the home of Anthony Jones - another associate of Jonathan Walsh - and the homes of Jodie Bowie, Lee Bowie, Kaylum Davies were all searched and all four were arrested for their part in the criminal group. Chelsea Davies and Noel Walsh were also arrested the same day at Cattlin Way in Oldham.

What have the police said?

Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Norman, of GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: “This was a lengthy and intricate operation dedicated to dismantling this criminal group.

“It’s hard to comprehend just how damaging these weapons and drugs could’ve been on our streets had police not recovered them first.

“We’ve now managed to make sure these people remain in jail for a significant amount of time, and our community is now a safer place with them behind bars.

“I hope this operation sends a clear message that GMP will work relentlessly to pursue anyone involved in the supply or harmful drugs and weapons.”