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| Raids target £100m drugs network | Raids target £100m drugs network |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police have raided addresses in and around London and arrested 22 people in an operation aimed at "dismantling" a £100m drug trafficking operation. | Police have raided addresses in and around London and arrested 22 people in an operation aimed at "dismantling" a £100m drug trafficking operation. |
| About 500 police officers were involved in raids on 30 homes and business premises and 111 kilograms of cocaine, worth £5.5m, was seized. | About 500 police officers were involved in raids on 30 homes and business premises and 111 kilograms of cocaine, worth £5.5m, was seized. |
| At one fortified house a digger was used to smash through a perimeter wall. | At one fortified house a digger was used to smash through a perimeter wall. |
| Detective Superintendent Steve Richardson said the raids had struck a "huge blow" to the drugs industry. | Detective Superintendent Steve Richardson said the raids had struck a "huge blow" to the drugs industry. |
| He said the network were believed to have processed around £100m in the last six months, most of it believed to be the proceeds of drug trafficking. | He said the network were believed to have processed around £100m in the last six months, most of it believed to be the proceeds of drug trafficking. |
| Police seized large quantities of cash and a number of guns during the raids at addresses across London, Surrey, Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire. | Police seized large quantities of cash and a number of guns during the raids at addresses across London, Surrey, Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire. |
| Sledgehammers | Sledgehammers |
| At a house in Hillingdon, west London, a police driver used a digger to break through the brick and steel perimeter wall shortly after 0500 GMT as a police helicopter hovered overhead. | At a house in Hillingdon, west London, a police driver used a digger to break through the brick and steel perimeter wall shortly after 0500 GMT as a police helicopter hovered overhead. |
| Dozens of officers using sledgehammers and angle grinders burst into the house seconds later. | Dozens of officers using sledgehammers and angle grinders burst into the house seconds later. |
| We have targeted the key players in a serious and organised criminal network culminating in a huge blow to the illegal drugs industry in the UK Det Supt Steve Richardson | We have targeted the key players in a serious and organised criminal network culminating in a huge blow to the illegal drugs industry in the UK Det Supt Steve Richardson |
| A 40-year-old man was arrested and several vehicles, including two Mercedes, a Hummer and a four-wheel drive Porsche parked outside were seized. | A 40-year-old man was arrested and several vehicles, including two Mercedes, a Hummer and a four-wheel drive Porsche parked outside were seized. |
| At another address in West Molesey, 30 officers burst into a house and searched two cars outside. A 54-year-old man of Egyptian origin was arrested. | At another address in West Molesey, 30 officers burst into a house and searched two cars outside. A 54-year-old man of Egyptian origin was arrested. |
| Detectives said they believed a business had been used as a front for a massive criminal enterprise which involved laundering money from the proceeds of trafficking in cocaine and cannabis. | Detectives said they believed a business had been used as a front for a massive criminal enterprise which involved laundering money from the proceeds of trafficking in cocaine and cannabis. |
| Police said those involved were from a variety of backgrounds. Some were "born and bred Londoners" while others were Irish, Israeli and Iraqi nationals. | Police said those involved were from a variety of backgrounds. Some were "born and bred Londoners" while others were Irish, Israeli and Iraqi nationals. |
| Operation Eaglewood | Operation Eaglewood |
| Det Supt Richardson, who headed Operation Eaglewood, said: "Today's operation has been hugely successful. We have targeted the key players in a serious and organised criminal network culminating in a huge blow to the illegal drugs industry in the UK. | Det Supt Richardson, who headed Operation Eaglewood, said: "Today's operation has been hugely successful. We have targeted the key players in a serious and organised criminal network culminating in a huge blow to the illegal drugs industry in the UK. |
| Police arrested 22 people during the early morning raids | |
| "These criminals have been living the lives of wealthy businessmen through criminal activity and today we have put a stop to this. We believe this network has been supplying drugs around the country, earning millions of pounds every week." | "These criminals have been living the lives of wealthy businessmen through criminal activity and today we have put a stop to this. We believe this network has been supplying drugs around the country, earning millions of pounds every week." |
| He said the investigation had succeeded in "taking out a group of ruthless and determined criminals who sought to profit from the sale of illegal drugs". | He said the investigation had succeeded in "taking out a group of ruthless and determined criminals who sought to profit from the sale of illegal drugs". |
| Detective Inspector Martin Ford said the gang used a small number of bureaux de change to launder their "dirty money". | Detective Inspector Martin Ford said the gang used a small number of bureaux de change to launder their "dirty money". |
| The raids took place across London and the south east | The raids took place across London and the south east |
| He said: "They have been laundering between £3m and £4m a week. They will take a suitcase full of £10 and £20 notes and exchange it for 500 euro notes. | He said: "They have been laundering between £3m and £4m a week. They will take a suitcase full of £10 and £20 notes and exchange it for 500 euro notes. |
| "The beauty of the 500 euro note is that it's the highest denomination that is universally accepted. So they can convert a suitcase-worth of sterling into a quantity of euros which will fit in a small box." | "The beauty of the 500 euro note is that it's the highest denomination that is universally accepted. So they can convert a suitcase-worth of sterling into a quantity of euros which will fit in a small box." |
| Police said they believed at least one of the bureaux de change was involved in the criminal enterprise. | Police said they believed at least one of the bureaux de change was involved in the criminal enterprise. |
| Among the other raids were: | Among the other raids were: |
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