Police arrest man during Black Friday crackdown at the Trafford Centre

Police arrested a suspected drug dealer as they launched a Black Friday crackdown on crime at the Trafford Centre today.

They published a picture of the man being held by officers inside the shopping city as part of Project Servator, an initiative designed to protect the people and businesses from a range of offences from terrorism to shoplifting.

The operation saw uniformed officers on patrol at the Trafford Centre during 'Black Friday', when retailers offer pre-Christmas discounts to boost sales. Greater Manchester Police tweeted about the arrest today (Friday) from its Trafford account on X.

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The post said: "Officers are trained to spot the tell-tale signs that someone may have criminal intent. We work with the public & partner agencies to create a network of vigilance across Greater Manchester.

"One male had other sales in mind before he was arrested on suspicion of possession of class B drugs with intent to supply. He won't be offering any discounts today since his stock has been seized & he remains in custody."

Project Servator aims to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism, while providing a reassuring presence for the public, according to GMP.

The national initiative, which is used by a number of forces across the country, helps counter terrorism units throughout the UK gather intelligence in investigating and preventing acts of terror.

Project Servator sees police working with businesses, community partners and members of the public to build a 'network of vigilance' and encourage suspicious activity to be reported. This approach also aims to provide a reassuring presence for members of the public.

It has previously resulted in arrests for a wide range of offences and is responsible for removing firearms, knives and drugs from the streets, according to the project's website. It involves 'highly visible and unpredictable deployments' that can happen anywhere at any time.