Seven arrested in ‘county line’ dawn drug raid targeting cocaine and heroin gang

Met Police conducted a series of dawn raids in London, Suffolk and Essex on Tuesday morning

Seven people suspected of being involved in a London gang that runs a county line drug dealing network to Suffolk were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, June 12 in a series of Trident raids. The gang are believed to have run a drug network from Ipswich to London supplying cocaine and heroin. In addition to the arrests, a number of items were seized at the properties, including a stolen moped, a ten-inch hunting knife, a quantity of cannabis and a mobile phone believed to be the phone used for running the "county line." Warrants were executed by Metropolitan Police officers at six addresses, including five in Newham, as part of the operation. Three men were arrested. As part of the same operation, one man and two women were arrested by Suffolk Police and one man was arrested by Essex Police. [caption id="attachment_183806" align="alignnone" width="3264"] Police vans involved in the operation (Credit: Met Police)[/caption] The individuals arrested, aged between 19 and 39 years old, were arrested for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. More than 80 officers from a range of units across the Metropolitan Police took part in the operation, including officers from Trident central gangs unit, Newham borough, territorial support group and local borough officers. The raids took place at Fendt Close, E16; Carew Road, N17; Firefly Gardens, E6; Trusedale Road, E6; Daines Close, E12; Bearing Walk, E16, Falcon Avenue, Grays; Bond Street, Ipswich and Main Road, Ipswich. The arrests were made as part of an intelligence-led, proactive operation targeting senior members of a gang in Newham believed to be responsible for a cocaine and heroin drug-dealing network from London to Suffolk. [caption id="attachment_183807" align="alignnone" width="1336"] An officer with a knife seized during the operation (Credit: Met Police)[/caption] Richard Tucker, commander of the Met’s North East command unit said: "This morning’s arrests demonstrate the commitment of the Metropolitan Police to reducing the level of violence in Newham and the wider East London area. "So-called ‘county lines’ drug dealing gangs from London spread crime and misery into towns throughout England. Working with neighbouring police forces, today’s operation is part of a wider, long-term strategy to combat gang-related activities." Jim McKee, of the Met’s Trident central gangs unit, said: "Today’s cross-border operation with our colleagues in Suffolk to tackle violent crime and county lines operations has resulted in seven individuals being arrested. "Those who run ‘county line’ drug dealing networks are responsible for exporting violence to towns outside of London and we are committed to relentlessly pursuing and disrupting them. We believe the disruption of the drug dealing gangs could have a direct impact on reducing the level of violence in London."