230 arrests as nine forces come together to tackle violent criminals using arterial road networks

More than 200 arrests have been made in an operation involving nine police forces to tackle drug supply and linked violence on our roads.

Officers from the Met, Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Thames Valley, Hampshire, City of London and British Transport Police worked to disrupt county lines gang activity in order to reduce gang, drug and weapon based violence.

During the three-day operation, officers used Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and intelligence to target vehicles linked to violent crime.

Overall 1,065 officers were involved in the effort which focused on arterial routes and motorways in and around London such as the M25, M11, M4 and the M20.

 

The operation resulted in:

- 230 arrests for offences including: attempted murder, possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs, possession of offensive weapons, possession of firearms, assault and possession of criminal property.

- 22 knives/weapons recovered.

- 54 vehicles seized

- 62 illegal items, such as drugs, seized

- 6 warrants executed

 

Detective Inspector Dee Fielding for Surrey Police said: “Tackling county lines and related harm is a priority, not only for Surrey Police, but for law enforcements nationally. The impact of drugs networks in our communities can be devastating and leads to knock-on effects such as violence, exploitation, anti-social behaviour and an increase in thefts.

“We know there are currently hundreds of county lines operating across the UK, and this operation makes best use of coordinated activity to identify perpetrators, reduce violence, take away the proceeds of crime and safeguard the vulnerable.

“While these operations will have substantially disrupted numerous county lines, our work is ongoing and we are pursuing all available means of strengthening the national response.”

 

Chief Inspector Jack May Robinson from the Met said: “This three-day operation involved neighbouring forces we continuously work with as part of our day to day policing. We’ve built on those relationships to work together and drive down on those using the road network to facilitate their criminal activity.

“Some of the individuals arrested are extremely dangerous, lead criminal life styles and exploit vulnerable people to run drugs and commit crime. Due to the need to safeguard those who have been exploited, we resourced a dedicated phone-line of trained officers to give specialist advice to officers to ensure the best care and response possible.

“Operation Pandilla is part of our effort to target the drivers of violent crime. Drugs are inextricably linked to a high proportion of the violence; therefore we will continue to target those who exploit children to peddle drugs and target the most vulnerable within our communities. We simply can’t do this alone and must work with our partners.

“Our message to criminals using the road network to transport drugs and illegal assets is clear. We are tirelessly working 24/7 to disrupt you. If you are stopped with anything illegal we will arrest you and put you before the courts. We are working stronger together and sharing intelligence across borders to make it as hard as possible for you to run county lines.”

How does mobile ANPR work?

ANPR is a camera linked to a computer. When a vehicle passes the camera it captures its registration plate.

It is used in day to day policing to stop vehicles of interest, for example driving with no insurance or owned by a person wanted by police. It is also used to gather information and intelligence and can help with investigations into travelling criminals and organised crime.

Officers were proactively patrolling on arterial routes with ANPR computers built in their cars, allowing them to scan several vehicles at once.

Communities also have a vital role to play in tackling violent crime and we urge anyone who may have information to tell us, so that we can tackle violence together. We need information about crime or those who carry a weapon, or those that exploit people for gain or revenge, while putting young people’s lives at risk. Community intelligence can be used to great effect to not only detect, but also prevent crime, keep London safe and save young lives.

If you don’t want to speak to the police, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They are a totally independent charity and you remain 100 per cent anonymous, they never ask your name and they cannot trace your call, your IP address or device you use. Alternatively, visit their website https://crimestoppers-uk.org/.

Breakdown of arrests:
Met Police - 108 arrests
British Transport Police – 20 arrests
City of London Police – 11 arrests
Surrey Police – 28 arrests
Hertfordshire Police – 12 arrests
Kent Police – 11 arrests
Thames Valley Police – 16 arrests
Essex Police – 24 arrests