Residents across West Essex had reported a sudden influx of heroin and crack cocaine
Police working to dismantle a supply chain of heroin and crack cocaine across West Essex carried out dawn raids in Chingford yesterday morning.
Officers working on Operation Raptor, a team dedicated to dismantling gangs selling drugs, raided eight addresses early on 12th April in both Chingford and Waltham Abbey.
They were tipped off by information from members of the public, who had reported signs of a new supply chain of Class A drugs linking Chingford to Waltham Abbey, Loughton and Harlow.
During the raids, officers arrested seven people – four women and three men – on suspicion of helping to supply heroin and crack cocaine and seized a number of weapons.
PC Emily Larkin, from Essex Police, said: “These warrants were executed following reports of an influx of drug supply in parts of West Essex. When we receive intelligence concerning such activity, we take those reports extremely seriously and residents can feel safe in the knowledge we will do something about it.
“Drug supply often brings with it exploitation, the grooming of vulnerable people and violence. Protecting those at risk of being used by gangs is central to our work and these seizures have seen the removal of a number of dangerous weapons from our streets.”
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