Trident gang operation makes arrests in Barking and Dagenham

Trident gang crime officers made three arrests during a series of raids as part of the Met’s crackdown on gang crime.

The operation in Barking and Dagenham resulted in two arrests for possession of drugs with intent to supply, one arrest for grievous bodily harm, one cannabis seizure and 19 individuals were stopped and searched.

Supt Mike Hamer of Barking and Dagenham Police said: “Operations such as this help to disrupt criminality in the borough but there is much more to it than that.

“We make use of gang injunctions to support those who want to remove themselves from gang culture. These have positive and prohibitive conditions attached that must be adhered to.

“There are a number of routes out of gang involvement and we can put members in touch with a variety of people to help turn their lives around, from mentors, to education centres to potential employers.”

In total 72 arrests were made across the capital during the operation last Wednesday for offences including robbery, kidnap, gun-enabled grievous bodily harm, and possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs.

Four firearms were recovered, including a sawn-off shotgun, handgun and ammunition in Hackney and a firearm from Islington.

Det ch supt Dean Haydon, head of Trident Gang Crime Command, said: “[The raids] saw a tremendous effort from Trident and local officers across the Met targeting gang members who blight their communities with their criminal activities.

“This is work which continues day-in and day-out across the capital, however large scale operations such as these play a major part in the fight against gang violence and demonstrate very clearly to London’s communities and in particular gang members that Trident is still here, still targeting violent gang members and still committed to the prevention of shootings.”