Teenager and man arrested after police storm homes in Cambridge Close in clampdown on drug related crime

Brent & Kilburn Times: Superindentent Simon Rose of Brent Police shows the quanitity of cannabis seized over roughly a three month period.Superindentent Simon Rose of Brent Police shows the quanitity of cannabis seized over roughly a three month period. (Image: Archant)

Police have stormed a series of addresses across the borough this morning in a bid to crack down on drug related crime.

Officers have so far made 14 arrests from 21 properties and are expecting to search around 40 more addresses.

The Times was on the scene for a double raid in Neasden which yielded one arrest.

Two properties within yards of each other in Cambridge Close were targeted with a 19-year-old man arrested and led away by police officers on suspicion of possession of cannabis.

A 20-year-old man was also handed a Written Charge and Requisition order.

Officers also uncovered a cannabis factory at a property in Buchanan Gardens, Kensal Rise. No arrests were made at the address.

The raids from part of Operation Hawk, a pan London Met Police initiative aimed at targeting known drug users and dealers.

Each borough is given a minimum amount of properties to search and Superintendent Simon Rose of Brent Police told the Times they were carrying out a higher than average number of raids.

He said: “Brent is a busy borough, and as a result we are able to search more properties.

“A lot of these arrests will also be gang related. We have been working closely with Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) to identify people and properties to target where we suspect drug use is in operation.”

So far this morning around 15 addresses have been raided across the borough.

Commander Stephen Watson, leading today’s operation, said: “Drug dealing and cannabis cultivation damage communities and generate organised and violent crime, money laundering and anti-social behaviour.

“The MPS is determined to tackle this issue head on with the assistance of London’s communities, many of whom cite tackling ‘drugs’ as a priority for local Safer Neighbourhoods teams.”