Man arrested after car searched in Upton Park during County Lines operation

Large amounts of cannabis, £25,000 in cash and three bladed weapons were found during a search of his home. (credit: Met Police)

A man has been arrested after Class A and B drugs were found on him during a police search of his car in Upton Park.

Officers stopped the car in Queen’s Road, on Thursday, 25 February as part of a Met-police operation to bear down on county lines and violent crime.

Large amounts of cannabis, £25,000 in cash, bricks of Class A drugs and three bladed weapons were later found during a search of his home.

Between Tuesday, 23 February and Saturday, 27 February, officers used ANPR technology along arterial routes (such as motorways and A roads) connecting London to regional areas.

As part of ‘Operation Pandilla,’ this was to stop vehicles linked to drugs and county lines.

They were also proactively on the look-out for suspicious activity in their efforts to tackle violence.

The Met-led operation, which spans across five counties, has resulted in 154 arrests in London alone.

More than 100 officers took part in the operation which resulted in:

– 18 individuals referred to DIVERT, an intervention programme aimed to reduce re-offending;
– 49 knives and weapons removed from London’s streets;
– 27 vehicles seized;
– 78 separate incidents resulting in various quantities of drugs being recovered;
– 154 arrests by the Met for offences including possession of an offensive weapon and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs;
– 62 individuals were reported for consideration for a Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) for breaching coronavirus regulations.

Acting Inspector Pete Luciano, of the Violent Crime Task Force, said: “Drugs and violence devastate lives and destroy communities, therefore operations such as this are imperative in our drive to make communities safer.

“Since the pandemic, offenders have relied on vehicles to enable their criminality compared with other modes of transport, and we have adapted our tactics to respond to this change.

“We will not stop in our determination to make London safer for everyone. I believe it is the best city in the world.

“Last year in London, there was a 26 per cent reduction in violence, however we are not complacent. The issue of drugs and violence spans wider than the capital and we must continue to work as one, sharing information and intelligence – a method we know is successful.

“The results from this operation show there is an undeniable link between drugs and violent crime. We are absolutely committed to build on work with our partners to remove illegal drugs and weapons, arrest those who cause destruction through their criminality and protect the most vulnerable.”

Anyone with any information about knife crime, is asked to contact police or Crimestoppers if anonymously on 0800 555 111.

If you are worried about someone you suspect may be carrying a knife or other weapon, advice and support is also available through organisations including Knife Free and Fearless.

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