Photograph by Fernando Serna
Sixteen suspected gang leaders have been arrested in and around Hackney in east London.
170 officers carried out the dawn raids simultaneously at 15 addresses with support from the MPS dogs unit and with helicopters on the sky. Officers recovered a quantity of crack cocaine and some cash at the addresses, with searches still ongoing.
The 16 men arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin are all aged between 16 and 36.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Champion, Trident Central Gangs Unit, said:
“Today’s operation demonstrates that we will always act upon information given to us about those involved in gang-related criminal activity.
By working with the boroughs across London, Trident Gang Crime Command aims to prioritise, tackle, arrest and place those who commit gang-related crimes before the courts.
Today, Hackney’s priority gang member has been arrested in relation to this operation. The criminal lifestyle of those arrested has caused misery to local residents and the local area, creating a hostile place to live due to the violence and anti-social behaviour of the gang members targeted.
We have been working with officers from Hackney for the past three months and during that time we have executed a total of 41 warrants and made 113 arrests of which 68 are known gang members. This has resulted in a significant reduction of serious youth violence, gun and knife crime.
The Central Gangs Unit’s primary focus is to work with local communities, local authorities, charities and other agencies to prevent young people from joining gangs in the first place and all those arrested today were offered the opportunity by Hackney borough to escape from gang culture.
Those involved in gangs should also be aware that there is a way out and that there are people we can put them in touch with to help turn their lives around, from mentors, to education centres to potential employers.
However, if you remain in a gang and if you continue to commit crime, then we will keep targeting you.”
Officers from the local Safer Neighbourhoods teams in the area will be carrying out additional patrols in Hackney and neighbouring wards throughout the rest of the day and speaking with local residents and businesses about today’s operation.”
Detective Superintendent Tony Nash, Hackney Borough, said:
“Today’s operation with Trident is part of our normal business and should send out a clear message to anyone involved in such crime that the police, our partners and our communities will never accept or allow gangs and their criminal behaviour to go unchecked.
There are clear links with gangs and drug dealing to violence resulting in a negative impact on community confidence. Firearm discharges in Hackney have reduced by 70% this year and is a clear indication to our communities that we and our partners will continue to effectively target all gang crime.
Action today is a reminder to those involved in such criminality that the MPS and our borough partners will continually target criminal gang members at all levels with the aim of ensuring evidence allows the judicial system to impose the full strength of the law.
Those involved should realise the impact this will have on their families, their friends and their futures. There is an alternative and we are able to direct those who want to exit this lifestyle through successful pathways outside of the police service.”
