More than 360 disruptions and 281 safeguarding interventions recorded since April as police target child exploitation hotspots
Police and safeguarding teams in Manchester have intensified efforts to tackle child exploitation in the city centre, with more than 360 disruptions and 281 safeguarding interventions recorded since April 2024.
Operation Luca, Greater Manchester Police’s ongoing campaign to protect vulnerable young people from harm, has focused on Piccadilly Gardens and surrounding areas. The operation involves close collaboration between officers and social workers from the region’s Complex Safeguarding Hubs.
Since launching its latest phase in July, police activity has included arrests, positive stop-and-searches, locating missing children, and gathering intelligence to identify potential perpetrators. Officers say the high footfall over the summer prompted an increase in proactive patrols aimed at safeguarding children at risk.
Detective Sergeant Jinnett Lunt from the city centre Complex Safeguarding Team said the work was essential in “disrupting exploitation, pursuing criminality, and putting appropriate safeguarding measures in place”.
Officers have identified 40 individuals suspected of posing a risk to children and have launched 16 active investigations, with eight key suspects under scrutiny. Two men linked to Operation Luca were recently charged with rape following an investigation by the Bolton Complex Safeguarding Team. Further charges have since been secured against one of the suspects in connection with a second child victim.
As part of their approach, uniformed and plain-clothes officers conduct informal engagement with young people, aiming to build trust and gather intelligence on potentially harmful associations. By integrating social care specialists into patrol teams, Operation Luca has created a multi-agency model aimed at identifying risk early and intervening before harm occurs.
“The work of Operation Luca is vital in protecting vulnerable children and adults from exploitation in Manchester city centre,” said DS Lunt. “It’s just one part of a wider, coordinated effort between police and partners to keep children safe.”
She added that police presence would remain high into autumn and winter, with safeguarding remaining a top priority. “We are resolute in making the city centre a safer place for everyone,” she said.
Operation Luca forms part of Greater Manchester’s broader safeguarding strategy, designed to address complex forms of exploitation such as child sexual and criminal exploitation, trafficking, and modern slavery.
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