MORE than 70 police officers today raided homes in the Whitefield and Salford areas and arrested 14 members of a car-jack gang.

This is a culmination of Operation Heroes, which has targetted a team of offenders who are believed to have committed crime in both Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

The team are suspected of numerous offences of robbery including 'car-jacking' and also commercial burglaries where computers have been stolen.

Fourteen people have been arrested and are currently being held at local police stations.

Property has also been recovered including two firearms, stolen goods including computers, monkey wrenches, balaclavas and what is believed a quantity of cannabis has been recovered.

Detective Inspector Jane Antrobus from Whitefield CID, who is heading the investigation, said: "I am very pleased with how the Operation has progressed so far, however we still have officers searching a number of addresses and I will hopefully be in a position to provide a full update later this morning."

"Members of the public should be reassured that a team of suspected prolific and dangerous individuals have now been identified and arrested."