East London Drug Busts: 16 Arrested, £13k Cash Seized in Major Raids
Another 16 Snared in Crackdown
Police have made a fresh wave of arrests, bringing the total to 145 since March 2020 in a relentless war on drugs in East London. On the morning of Wednesday, 3 March, officers executed search warrants simultaneously across multiple boroughs, swooping on addresses linked to drug supply.
The raids uncovered around £13,000 in cash at one location and several wraps of suspected Class A drugs across four other homes. Sixteen people, aged between 18 and 53, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. All are currently in custody.
Operation Continuum Ramps Up Pressure
Launched in 2019 in Tower Hamlets, Operation Continuum is a partnership between Met Police, local councils, and housing associations. The mission: to stomp out drug supply, make communities safer, and tackle violent crime linked to narcotics.
- Since March 2020, 103 warrants have been executed.
- A total of 145 arrests for drug offences.
- 259 charges brought against 123 people.
- 12 sentenced to a combined 22.75 years behind bars, with many legal cases still ongoing.
- Approximately 1,600 officers have been involved over the past year.
Senior Officers Praise Impact
“Continuum is here to stay. The disruptive effect on drug dealers and positive community feedback prove this operation’s success,” said Detective Superintendent Mike Hamer, Gold Commander.
“Through intelligence-sharing, joint planning, and precision, we have made huge inroads into suppressing drug-related crime. Drugs fuel violent crime, our top Met priority, and we will keep targeting offenders until justice is served.”
Local Leaders Back Fight Against Crime
John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “Tackling drug dealing and making our neighbourhoods safer remain top priorities. These latest raids show the progress we’re making to get dealers off our streets.”
“We will not tolerate criminal activity in our borough and will keep working with police to disrupt drug markets and bring offenders to justice.”
