Operation Target took place throughout the day

A suspected drug baron is in custody after a team of police officer smashed through the door of a cannabis factory at a residential home.

A squad of nine officers from Operation Target, a special unit tackling drug dealing, used an angle grinder to storm a property on Sudbury Court Drive in Sudbury, yesterday afternoon (Thursday).

Police also found a shotgun, a machete and a chained up suspected Bull Mastiff dog, at a linked address in nearby Watford Road, Sudbury.

Police arrested two men from Sudbury Court Drive aged 19 and 30 on suspicion of cannabis production and a 25-year-old man from Watford Road on possession of cannabis.

Once the property had been cleared sniffer dogs Snatch, 6, and Mia, 3, an English Springer Spaniels father and daughter team, were sent in to make sure no drugs or guns had been missed.

Cllr Lincoln Beswick MBE, Lead Member for Crime Prevention and Public Safety, rode along on the raids.

He said: “The guys we locked up today are the criminal heavyweights in Brent who needed to be taken off the street.

They are causing mayhem in there community corrupting young people and pushing psychologically damaging drugs.

“We came for these criminals today and if you are a drug dealer next time we will be coming for you.

“The message we want these dealers to heed is don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.”

The operation was part of a number of raids carried out across Brent yesterday.

Around 250 officers searched 56 addresses arresting 39 people for offences including burglary, money laundering and Cultivation of cannabis, recovering stolen property, drugs and air guns.