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In two separate incidents on Wednesday, 9 September, officers from Operation Venice recovered a knife and meat cleaver during a stop and search, and drugs following a pursuit.
The first incident was the pursuit:
Marked police Scorpion riders were conducting patrols in the Bethnal Green area when a silver Honda moped made off from them at speed through a temporary red light. A pursuit ensued.
During the pursuit the moped rider drove at excess speed, on the pavement, through footpaths and the wrong way down one way streets, as well as through further red lights.
He drove into a park before abandoning the moped and trying to make off on foot.
Following a brief foot chase, the moped rider was detained on Ropley Street, E2. When he was arrested he claimed that he did not know that the officers were police.
Checks revealed the moped was displaying false registration plates and was uninsured. The male was arrested for these offences as well as dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and aggravated taking and driving away of the moped. He was also riding the moped without a license.
A police dog was called to the scene where the 30-year-old moped rider had abandoned the vehicle. The dog found a white plastic tub within the treeline that the defendant was seen to run past. The tub contained 26 individual wraps of white powder.
The suspect was further arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. He was taken into custody where he remains.
Later that same day, Operation Venice officers were called to reports of a group of teenagers attacking a male at Mile End Park with a large knife. While en route to the call Operation Venice Scorpion riders were informed that one of the males was in possession of a large meat cleaver and the group were seen to leave the park and go onto Bow Common Lane.
They conducted a search on Bow Common Lane and near the junction of Burdett Road, a group of six male teenagers who matched the description of the suspects were seen crossing the road.
All of the males were detained and searched. One male was riding a white pedal cycle and attached to the bike was a black drawstring bag.
During the search of this male, a large meat cleaver was located tucked into his waistband and a further large kitchen knife was located in the drawstring bag attached to the bike.
The 26-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and taken into custody where he remains at this time.
Sergeant Tony McGovern, from the Met’s Operation Venice Command, said: “Our units are deployed across London every day to disrupt drug supply and remove weapons from unsafe hands by stopping criminals from using motorbikes, mopeds and scooters to commit crime.”
