Police found a suspected sawn-off shotgun and drugs after searching two abandoned vehicles in Dagenham.

Officers on patrol in Burdett’s Road come across the vehicles shortly after 5.30pm yesterday (Tuesday, September 15).

The firearm as well as class A drugs and mobile phones suspected of use in drug dealing were recovered from one of the vehicles.

There have been no arrests.

Detective Inspector Dean Grafton said: “Myself and my officers are committed to bearing down on violent crime and are now conducting various enquiries to establish whether the vehicle and firearm are linked to any other incidents.

“The officers concerned who carried out this search are probationers and have exhibited that, although they are new to policing, from the very outset we, as police officers, are determined to remove drugs and firearms from our streets.

“Anyone who has information that could assist us is urged to call police. Members of the community and officers must work together to tackle violent crime and remove offenders from our streets.”

Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101, with ref CAD 6145/15 Sept.