Three people from Camden have been arrested as police probe an organised crime gang thought to have committed two high level offences - including one in Cricklewood.

Met flying squad detectives investigating linked raids in Westminster and Barnet attended five addresses simultaneously in the early hours of this morning (May 5).

Four people were arrested and remain at a central London police station.

A 39-year-old man was arrested in Delancey Street, Camden on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary; a 28-year-old woman was arrested in the same street on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal/disguise criminal property.

A 44-year-old man was arrested in North Gower Street, Camden on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery; a 33-year-old man was arrested in Westbourne Park Road, Notting Hill, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery.

The raids were part of Operation Fujita, an ongoing investigation dedicated to identifying and apprehending an organised crime gang who are thought to have committed two high level offences.

The first offence - at a clothing store in Regent Street in the early hours of January 5 - involved the suspects gaining entry by smashing the windows with a sledge hammer before removing goods and fleeing in a BMW.

The second offence - the robbery of a cash carrying security vehicle at Cricklewood Broadway on February 7 - again involved a BMW, which on this occasion was stopped by a member of the public who drove at them.

The vehicle thought to have been used in both offences was stored briefly in the NW8 area before being moved a number of times.

It was fitted with a new set of cloned number plates after each move in an attempt to evade police.

A total of 46 officers were involved in the arrest operation, during which they recovered clothing connected to the offences, as well as mobile phones and Class A and B drugs.

Det Sgt Vanessa Calafat, from the flying squad, said: “Today’s arrests are the result of a complex investigation by a team of officers who have diligently trawled through hours of CCTV and made countless calls and enquiries.

“Identifying and apprehending organised criminals and stopping them from conducting their illicit activities within our communities remains our primary objective.”