Twenty arrested in Dalston immigration and drugs swoop

Twenty people were arrested by police in Ridley Road and at Dalston Junction yesterday for immigration and drugs offences.

It follows a four-month operation by Hackney Police working in partnership with Hackney Council and the UK Border Agency.

Yesterday’s operation led to 19 people being arrested for a variety of immigration and drug-related offences, including possession with intent to supply class A drugs; one arrest for immigration offences only; and a large quantity of class A drugs being seized.

The arrests were made as part of Operation Marsican, an initiative to tackle serious and organised crime in the borough, which has been jointly run and funded by the police and the council.

The police say officers will be in the are today to reassure local residents and traders, and to explain the impact of the operation.

Chief Superintendent Steve Bending, Borough Commander of Hackney Police, said: “Operation Marsican has been a fully collaborative effort, with positive feedback from residents and businesses in the area.

“By using a combination of enforcement and intervention, we are aiming to reduce anti-social activities such as drug dealing, drug taking, and the associated criminality that goes hand-in-hand with the supply of illegal substances.”

Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe added: “Crime in Hackney is at a 12 year low, and while we are encouraged by the year-on-year reductions in crime, today’s operation demonstrates our continued commitment to working together for a safer Hackney.

“I hope that the significant results achieved through Operation Marsican bring about a lasting improvement to the area, and serve as a warning to the minority involved in criminality that their behaviour will not be tolerated in this borough.”

The four-month investigation was led by Operation Bantam, Hackney Police’s proactive drugs and firearms squad. Also supporting the operation were the Council’s CCTV unit, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Dalston Safer Neighbourhoods policing team, and the Metropolitan Police’s Territorial Support Group, dog unit, and air support team.

Janet Moore, Head of UK Border Agency’s Local Immigration Team, said: “As yesterday’s raids in Hackney show, we are working closely with the police and other law enforcement agencies to tackle suspected abuses of the immigration system, and to help reduce criminality in local communities.

“Where we find someone in the UK illegally we will seek to remove them. Were we receive intelligence that someone is involved in immigration crime, we will take action. The message is clear – the UK is not a safe haven for immigration offenders.”

Photographs to follow