Met Police arrests 17 in dawn raid on organised crime group across five counties

Over 800 officers stormed 24 properties in London and four counties, arresting 17 suspects. One officer was stabbed during the operation.

Dawn raid targets organised crime group across London and four counties

The Metropolitan Police arrested 17 people on Tuesday morning after more than 800 officers raided 24 properties across London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, the Daily Express reports. The operation, carried out in the early hours, targeted individuals suspected of leading or holding senior roles in serious and organised crime.

One officer was stabbed in the leg during the execution of a warrant at an address in Cockfosters, Barnet. Paramedics and colleagues treated him at the scene before he was taken to hospital; his injuries were assessed as non-life-changing.

The arrests followed several months of investigation by specialist Met detectives working alongside HMRC and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). As part of the broader operation, the FCA disrupted seven firms and said it is pursuing a further 30.

Searches at a number of properties are ongoing, and a police presence is expected to remain for several days.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "These arrests mark a significant point in this investigation. Those arrested are suspected of leading or being involved at a senior level in serious and organised crime and related financial offending."

The spokesperson added that the operation illustrated the scale of the challenge: "Investigating these groups is among the most complex work the Met undertakes. It requires a significant investment of time and money and the expertise not just of specialist police officers but of colleagues from partner organisations like HMRC and the FCA."

The Met also connected senior criminality to wider community harm. "Lines can often be drawn from the top, all the way to those involved in the criminality that blights communities, including serious violence and exploitation," the spokesperson said.

The FCA framed its involvement as central to disrupting financial flows underpinning organised crime. "Tackling financial crime requires the type of partnership shown by today's joint action and the many months of close cooperation leading to it," an FCA spokesperson said. "We'll continue to work with the police and others to identify and disrupt organised crime groups who abuse our financial system to launder dirty money."

HMRC echoed that assessment. "Today's action highlights the importance of close collaboration between HMRC and other law enforcement partners in tackling serious and organised crime, including suspected money laundering and other criminal activity," a spokesperson said.

Source: Daily Express