Two men from Salford have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently being questioned, following the discovery of human remains in Kersal Dale.
The torso of a white man in his 40s was found wrapped in plastic in the wetlands, on April 4.
Yesterday, police stormed a bus on Eccles Old Road and arrested a 42-year-old man on suspicion of murder.
A 68-year-old man was also arrested at an address on Worsley Road on suspicion of murder.
The men are believed to be known to each other.
The arrests are believed to be a significant breakthrough in the police investigation, which has been ongoing for three weeks.
The Major Incident Team has conducted hundreds of hours of CCTV trawls and followed numerous lines of enquiry, leading to them tracing a person of interest and arresting two men from the local area.
Detective superintendent Lewis Hughes said: “The arrests are undoubtedly a significant step in our investigation, and our focus now is questioning the men in custody, which could be key to finding answers.
“We are continuing to work round the clock looking through every single line of enquiry that we have established, and you may see further searches in the city over the coming days as we work to leave no stone unturned.
“At the centre of our efforts, remains our victim. Our investigation is moving at pace, and we are determined to identify him and find out how he has met this tragic outcome.
“This victim could be a father, brother, son, or cousin. He is a man over the age of 40, with white skin tone, believed to be European, and most likely had blonde or light brown hair and blue eyes.
“We continue to appeal to anyone missing a loved one who matches this description to come forward.
“We are by no means finished with our investigation; we are still in the early stages of finding out what has happened but please be reassured that we are making good progress.
“We still need your help, anyone out there who thinks they know something, or have maybe seen something suspicious in the area – please think about this victim, and a family that will one day hear the most devastating news – come forward for them by calling 101 and quoting log number 2695 of April 4, 2024.
“If you would like to remain anonymous, details can be shared via the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.”
