Seven charged in connection to Burnley shooting

Seven people have been charged by detectives investigating a shooting in Burnley.
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Officers carried out a number of dawn raids on addresses across Manchester and Lancashire in a series of co-ordinated and simultaneous strikes on Tuesday.

The arrests took place at addresses in Brierfield, Radcliffe, Oldham, Gorton, Cheetham Hill and Prestwich.

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The raids follow a complex investigation codename Operation Callaway into a violent incident in Salus Street, Burnley on February 4th this year during which a man was shot in the leg and another man received a gunshot injury. Another man received a cut to the head. The injuries were not life threatening.

Seven people have been charged in connection to a shooting incident in Burnley in FebruarySeven people have been charged in connection to a shooting incident in Burnley in February
Seven people have been charged in connection to a shooting incident in Burnley in February

Three people were also arrested in connection in connection with the murder of 29-year-old Rhys Thompson in Manchester earlier this year. They have been released under investigation in relation to that enquiry.

Those charged are: Mazar Shah (38) of Alms Hill Road, Cheetham Hill, Manchester, who is charged with assisting an offender, perverting the course of justice and arson; Elion Gllava (25), of The Parklands, Stoneclough, Ibrahim Beldie (31), of Hollins Road, Oldham and Andon Bita (46), of Ellen Wilkinson Crescent, Manchester who are all charged with conspiracy to commit GBH with intent, conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to supply a Class B drug; Gulam Rauf (38) of Hartley Avenue, Prestwich who is charged with assisting an offender, perverting the course of justice and arson; Murtaza Ahmed (37), of Berry Street, Brierfield who is charged with conspiracy to supply a Class B drug; Andreas Zekaqis (30), of Acacia Road, Oldham who is charged with conspiracy to supply a Class B drug and conspiracy to possess criminal property.

Two others – a 24-year-old woman from Radcliffe and a 48-year-old man from Cheetham Hill – have been released under investigation.

All those charged were due to appear before Blackburn Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday, July 15th)