A total of 19 people have been arrested and large quantities of Class A drugs and cash have been seized after a series of dawn raids in Tower Hamlets.
The warrants form part of Operation Continuum, an intelligence-led, phased operation established in response to ongoing reports of drug dealing, drug use and associated criminality in Tower Hamlets and Hackney.
Today’s (Oct 13) raids mark another successful day of action for the ongoing efforts to suppress drugs supply and violence in the areas.
Officers arrested 19 men aged in their 20s and 30s on suspicion of offences including conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and money laundering.
All are in custody at an east London police station.
During the operation officers seized approximately 2kg of Class A drugs, £120,000 in cash and more than £100,000 worth of assets linked to money laundering, including a £50,000 vehicle.
Detective Chief Inspector Sean Lyons, said: “This morning’s warrants are another strong message to those involved in drug-related criminality and our commitment to tackling this issue.
“We know that drugs are inextricably linked to violence and that men and women are exploited through drug supply. Through operations like Continuum, we are able to further safeguard, reassure and reach vulnerable people who may be affected by this criminal activity.
“Officers from the Violence Suppression Unit, dedicated ward officers and Neighbourhood Task Force will continue to work on the ground providing high visibility patrols in the area, ensuring that local residents can go to them for advice if they are affected by the disruption following this action.”
John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “We are committed to working with local police to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Through Operation Continuum we are sending a clear message to those involved – this will not be tolerated in our borough.
“Our recent funding boost through Project Adder is supporting our work to tackle the root causes of substance misuse. In addition to the Operation Continuum raids, we had teams on the ground offering reassurance to the community and helping people with addiction to access recovery support services.
Taking a holistic approach like this in addressing substance misuse means we can both offer help and support to people who need it, while at the same time reduce crime associated with drug taking and the drug market.”
