News
Cops search for gang weapons
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Stockwell Gardens was among those searched by armed police (Magnus Andersson)
ARMED police scoured three estates in a two-day crackdown on gangs using hidey-holes to stash weapons.
Cops launched the co-ordinated sweep of open spaces in the Vassall, Larkhall, and Coldharbour wards of Lambeth.
Ten rounds of live ammunition were found, with one unspent shotgun cartridge, a quantity of class-A drugs, two blades and two false car registration plates.
The searches took place on Wednesday and Thursday on the Angell Town, Myatts Field and Stockwell Gardens estates.
Officers said it was part of a drive to suppress gang-related activity, reduce serious youth violence and reassure the community.
Operation Dacres was also launched to reduce the risk of injury to front-line officers patrolling the estates.
Ten officers were used in total.
They were from Lambeth’s Proactive Firearms Team, safer neighbourhood teams and Kennington’s Task Force.
Specialist officers from the Met’s CO19 firearms unit and firearm recovery dogs from CO11, the public order branch, were also used to sniff out weapons.
Officers searched estate stairwells, lifts, electric cupboards and grassy areas before carrying out street briefings to tell residents what they’d been doing.
Detective Inspector Nicola Church, of Lambeth’s firearms team, said: “This operation has highlighted that those involved in serious violence are secreting their weapons and ammunition in public places.
“Working together with Lambeth safer neighbourhood officers and with assistance from CO has proved very productive.
"It is our priority to make Lambeth a safer place.”
No arrests were made.
Email: leon.watson@slp.co.uk
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