Drugs, firearm, vehicles and cash seized during massive armed police raid on traveller site

RAIDED: Lynton Close traveller site

LAW enforcement agencies swamped a traveller site this morning seizing suspected drugs, a firearm and ammunition, vehicles and £20,000 cash.

Armed police, HMRC investigators and RSPCA officers swooped on the Lynton Close traveller site in Wembley, north-west London from 4am today.

Officers from the Met Police North West Command Unit carried out eight search warrants at seven properties in the vicinity of the site.

Five people were arrested, three men, aged 28, 26 and 25, and two women, aged 24 and 26, on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A and class B drugs.

REPORT: Brent and Kilburn Times posted a picture of the raid on Facebook

Around 20 police vehicles were sen parked near the site.

A Met Police spokesman said: "Shortly after 4am officers from several specialist units and locations across the area entered seven properties simultaneously to conduct search warrants.

"A variety of property and items have been seized as part of the investigation including approximately £20,000 in cash, a large quantity of what is thought to be class A and B drugs, a firearm and ammunition.

"Vehicles including a caravan, suspected to be stolen, and two large tipper-style trucks suspected use in illegal fly-tipping, have also been seized. Police activity is currently still underway at the locations."

JUNK: dumped rubbish by the site shown on Google Streetview

Agencies from the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), which helps share information between agencies, were also been involved, including HMRC and the RSPCA, alongside officers from Essex Police.

The warrants formed part of an intelligence-led, multi-agency operation in connection to a number of offences including drug supply, vehicle offences and repeated anti-social behaviour.

AERIAL: The site has become overcrowded according to nearby residents

The site has been run by Brent Council since April 1 after being previously managed by Oxfordshire City Council behalf of Brent.

It should hold about 20 families, but residents say it is massively overcrowded with sub-tenants, and the entrance is littered with junk.

DS Kelly Schonhage from the North West Command Unit CID, said: "Today's operation has been a real success and was carried out as a result of concerns we have received from the local community.

"Criminality and the associated anti-social behaviour that comes with it has a negative impact on communities so I hope that these arrests and seizures demonstrate that police will act on the information we receive.

"If you have concerns about criminality please get in touch; police and our partner agencies do listen and we do take action."

A spokesperson on behalf of the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN) said: "By working in partnership, sharing intelligence lawfully and efficiently, the GAIN aims to ensure that government agencies along with police will help reduce the risk, threat and harm from serious and organised crime, in the most cost effective way. Today's action is an excellent example of adopting a multi-agency approach".