Dozens Of Gang Members As Young As 14 Arrested In London Crackdown

Dozens of suspected gang members as young as 14 years old have been arrested by police in a series of co-ordinated operations across London in a fresh crackdown on gang crime.

Hundreds of Metropolitan Police officers have taken to the streets of the capital to track down and arrested suspected gang members believed to be involved in crimes including assault, robbery and drugs supply.

At least 121 suspected gang members were arrested in the first hour of the Met's operation, the force said.

More than 100 warrants were executed, and a "significant" amount of crack cocaine, heroin and cash was seized.

The major operation, spearheaded by the Met's newly-formed Trident Gang Crime Command, marks what senior officers have described as a "step change" in the way the force tackles gangs.

There are an estimated 250 active criminal gangs in London, comprising of about 4,800 people, mostly aged between 18 and 24, according to police statistics.

Of these gangs, 62 are considered as "high harm" and commit two thirds of all gang-related crime, the Met said.

The force added that gangs, which range from organised criminal networks involved in Class A drugs supply and firearms, to street-based gangs involved in violence and personal robbery, are responsible for approximately 22% of serious violence, 17% of robbery, 50% of shootings and 14% of rape in London.

Scotland Yard revealed it has now committed 1,000 dedicated officers to fighting the problem, with the creation of the central Trident gang command and 19 new task forces to deal with local gang crime in problem boroughs across London.

Operation Trident was originally set up in 2000 to tackle gun crime in black communities across the capital and has gradually grown over the past decade.

Under the unit's expanded new remit it will retain the responsibility of investigating shootings, but also work alongside the borough task forces to proactively tackle gang crime, the Met said.

It will also have access to specialist resources including Operation Connect - the MPS unit set up to tackle violence driven by gang culture - and the Serious and Organised Crime Command.

MPS Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said anyone caught offending would be arrested.

He told BBC Breakfast: "What we've got to deal with as the police, we've got to deal with the consequences, so where they're hurting people we've got to first of all stop them hurting people, and if they do then we've got to make sure that we arrest them.

"Where we can we also work with all the boroughs of London and all the different partners, to try and divert - particularly young people - away from a life of crime, to keep them away from these gangs. Or if they're in them, get them away.

"It's not our aim to criminalise young people, our aim is to try and stop people getting hurt and if we can get them out of the gangs by working with partners then we will do that.

"The bottom line is, if they're offending, then we've got to arrest them."

DCS Stuart Cundy, commander for the new Trident Gang Crime Command said: "Since its launch in 2000 Trident has developed its expertise in combating shootings in London, and in recent years Trident has become more and more focused on tackling gangs across London.

"Today sees the Met building on the proven successes of Trident and other units. This new approach is a significant change for Trident as it now leads the Met's response to gang crime, but rest assured Trident will remain focused on preventing and investigating all shootings in London, regardless of the victim's or perpetrator's background."

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said tackling gangs was the top crime priority for London.

"We've been attacking gangs from all angles. Now the Met has a concerted and determined push to take out the ring-leaders and tempt impressionable youngsters away from this destructive life," he added.