Met Police Launch Massive Crackdown on County Lines Drug Gangs
More than 150 Met officers smashed county lines drug dealing and gang activity across Croydon, Sutton, and Bromley on Saturday, 7 August. The high-octane operation targeted the grime and violence that plague south London streets.
367 Vehicles Stopped and 26 Seized in Targeted Raids
Using smarts like Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and top-notch intelligence, police stopped 367 vehicles on key routes in and out of south London. Drug detection dogs from the Met’s Taskforce sniffed out illegal haul, leading to 26 vehicles being seized.
One haul even uncovered £30,000 worth of stolen power tools hidden in a vehicle. The crackdown focused on stopping young and vulnerable people being exploited by ruthless dealers to transport drugs and weapons.
Multi-Agency Force Joined by Surrey Police, HMRC & The Home Office
The operation wasn’t just Met officers. Surrey Police, HM Revenue and Customs, and the Home Office all joined forces, bringing a powerful mix of skills to fight back against violent crime and county lines networks.
“It was remarkable to see such a wide range of specialist skills from so many different units coming together,” said Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer, police commander for Croydon, Sutton, and Bromley.
“The Met is committed to hitting violent criminals hard — seizing their cash, drugs and weapons, making it tough to use London’s roads and transport to carry out crime.”
Police Call for Public Help to Beat Gangs and Violence
CS Stringer urged Londoners to help: “If you’ve got information about gangs or violence, no matter how small, passing it on makes a big difference.”
For emergencies, dial 999. For non-urgent info, call 101 or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
