Last week, the Met led a three-day operation to disrupt high-risk offenders, assisting in the removal of drugs and weapons from the streets. Officers from Thames Valley, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, West Midlands, and British Transport Police collaborated to prevent criminals from using arterial roads and rail networks to transport weapons and drugs both in London and into surrounding counties.
Officers used ANPR and intelligence to target vehicles associated with violent criminal activity in order to reduce gang, drug, and weapon-based violence.
Over the course of three days, more than 1,200 officers participated in the coordinated action, which focused on arterial routes and motorways in and around London, including the M25, A406, M1, and A40.
The operation, which took place between January 17 and 19, yielded the following results:
• 179 arrests for knife, weapon, drug, burglary, robbery, wanted offenders, and other offences; • 30 knives/weapons recovered; • 40 drug seizures; • 66 vehicle seizures; • £5,700 in cash seizures
The Met coordinated the operation, which was led by officers from the Violent Crime Taskforce with assistance from a variety of other teams including Met Intelligence, the Dog Support Unit, Roads and Transport Policing Command, and the National Police Air Service. Local Violence Suppression Units, Territorial Support Group, ANPR Interceptors, and Met’s Special Constable volunteers also assisted with these deployments across London.
Superintendent Emma Gulczynski of the Met, who is in charge of policing the cross-force operation, stated:
This Operation was a joint effort between seven police forces, sharing proactive intelligence and enhancing existing relationship to target those involved in drug, gang and weapon based violence.
Tackling violent crime is a priority for the Met and this operation saw officers from Birmingham, all the way to the south coast, working closely to crackdown on those using the transport networks to facilitate their criminal activity.
While removing drugs and weapons from the streets is paramount to keeping London and the county forces safe, safeguarding vulnerable individuals on the cusp of violence is also just as important.
Some of those arrested use children and vulnerable people to further their criminality, and we remain committed to working with partners to identify people at risk of exploitation and provide them with the comprehensive support they need.
Central North (Camden and Islington), North Area (Enfield and Haringey), and North West (Harrow, Barnet, and Brent) deployments were part of the operation, as were surrounding county forces. In addition, proactive patrols by Violence Suppression Units in Croydon, Haringey, Lewisham, and Newham aided the operation.
= Distribution of arrests by force:
100 arrests made by the Metropolitan Police Service
Ten arrests have been made by the British Transport Police.
Surrey Police have made 21 arrests.
7 arrests made by Hertfordshire Constabulary
Thames Valley Police have made 18 arrests.
Sussex Police have made seven arrests.
West Midlands Police have made 16 arrests. If you have any information about drug crime or violence, please contact the police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. They are a completely independent charity, and you remain completely anonymous; they never ask for your name, and they cannot track your call, IP address, or device. Alternatively, you can go to https:///crimestoppers-uk.org/.
