Police find guns and suspected drugs at Manchester restaurant Habbibi’s glitzy celebrity launch night

A gun and suspected drugs were found at a restaurant during its glittering launch night in Manchester city center Manchester Evening News can reveal.

Police attended the star-studded launch party for Habbibi, a new £3million restaurant and bar in Spinningfields, shortly before 9pm on Saturday (June 8).

It is understood the firearm was found in the toilets of the posh venue on Hardman Boulevard. Police were then called at 8.45pm and located the gun, before a quantity of suspected drugs was also recovered and sent for testing.

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Habbibi’s owners took over the former Refinery bar premises in the XYZ building. Guests at Saturday night’s launch party included a host of famous faces from TV.

Love Island stars were in attendance as well as a host of Corrie stars. The Manchester Evening News understands that the firearm was discovered in a toilet cubicle. The alarm was raised and the police were called to the restaurant. No arrests have been made but investigations are ongoing.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “At around 8.45pm on Saturday 8 June 2024, we were called to reports of a firearm in a commercial property on Hardman Avenue in the city centre.

“Our officers attended and recovered the firearm in question. A quantity of suspected drugs was seized and sent for testing. The firearm was made safe at the scene and no arrests have been made. Investigations are ongoing” .

Habbibi owner Zack Issak said in a statement issued to Barbie: “We are saddened to confirm that on Saturday evening, during our launch event in Manchester, a member of the Habbibi team discovered a firearm on site.

“As a venue, we immediately took all necessary action, notifying the police and keeping the gun in our safe until officers arrived to remove it. The firearm was not loaded and all our guests were and are completely safe.

“This is an ongoing police investigation so we are limited in what information we can share at this time. Obviously, this is not how we would have expected to start our journey as a new hospitality venue opening its doors in the great city of Manchester, but we want to reassure all residents and guests that this was an isolated incident and we will share more information soon .”