Legal high haul revealed by police

NITROUS Oxide canisters, synthetic cannabinoids, liquid gold poppers and sachets of “Gocaine” were among products seized as part of the local police crackdown on legal highs.

Operation Ramsey targeted new psychoactive substances in one of the first initiatives of its kind for Greater Manchester Police. Three people were arrested across Greater Manchester and 25 sachets seized in Oldham. Trading Standards, Child Services and the Department for Work and Pensions and UK Border Force were involved in the exercise.

Superintendent Craig Thompson, who led the operation, said: “This day has really highlighted the growing risk of new psychoactive substances. The items are easily accessible. Our concern is that these products have similar effects as drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, and because the unstable and varied nature of the contents, the true side effects can never be predicted.

“This is not a one-off. We’ll continue to crackdown on these products.”

Officers visited over 120 stores and also recovered counterfeit DVDs and alcohol, packets of other ubstances, drug equipment and illicit cigarettes.

Despite their nickname, some ‘legal highs’ contain banned substances; it is also against the law to sell them to under-18s.