Around 50 officers storm Poolcrest in Kilburn High Road

Brent & Kilburn Times: Police raided Poolcrest for the second time in four months (pic credit: Jan Nevill)Police raided Poolcrest for the second time in four months (pic credit: Jan Nevill) (Image: Copyright: Mr. Jan Nevill)

A notorious snooker club in Kilburn believed to turnover £1million a year from drug deals has been raided this afternoon.

Around 50 police officers stormed Poolcrest in Kilburn High Road, following reports that the venue continued to peddle illegal substances despite being raided just four months ago.

The club, which is based on the first floor, was stripped of its licence to sell alcohol in December after police seized more than 100 bags of cannabis and £1,000 in cash during the previous raid.

Officers were forced to use a circular saw to gain entry into the club and it now faces being closed for three months depending on the outcome of a court hearing tomorrow.

According to a police spokesman the venue is believed to be at the centre of a drug-dealing cartel thought to make the seven-figure sum annually.

Three men who were in the club when it was raided are being questioned by police – one is expected to be arrested.

Cllr Thomas Thomas Gardiner. Labour Councillor for the Kilburn ward in Camden, told the Times: “Poolcrest is clearly a problem venue. At the recent licensing review hearings the evidence of crime at the premises was pretty overwhelming.

“Raids and further action by the police and council will be good news for residents and businesses alike. Hopefully this will strike a blow against the misery drug dealing causes in the area and alleviate the damage that legitimate businesses suffer from illicit activity occurring nearby.”

“When the council removed the premises license we were conscious that the venue might try to stay open anyway. I really hope that a solution can be found to permanently stop the site being used for criminal activity.

“We cannot tolerate criminality on Kilburn High Road”