Hundreds of Met police officers raided flats and houses across Bexley on Tuesday morning, as part of a crackdown on organised crime in south-east London.

Forty-one people were initially arrested in the dawn raids on 53 addresses in Bexley, Lewisham, Greenwich and Bromley, which involved 700 police officers.

Met Police disclosed today (March 27) that 47 people have been charged and two people jailed as a result.

Wayne Carden, 32, of Slade Green Road, Erith was sentenced at Hammersmith Magistrates Court on Wednesday to nine months in prison, after pleading guilty to three counts of theft.

Shane Robinson, 22, of Ling Road, Erith was sentenced at Hammersmith Magistrates Court on Wednesday to 18 weeks in prison.

He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class B drugs and possession of Class B drugs.

Mark Pearce, 31 of Galleon Close, Erith has been charged with 32 counts of fraud, two counts of theft, one count of conspiracy to burgle, one count of possession of a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of medicinal drugs.

He has been remanded in custody to appear at Inner London Crown Court on Friday, 17 April.

Six 17-year-old males, one 16-year-old and one 15-year-old were also charged.

 

It was part of a two-year operation into organised crime such as burglary, theft, distributing drugs and handling stolen goods.

Bexley borough commander Jeff Boothe said the raids “send the right message to the people of Bexley.

“Bexley might be an outer London borough but if there is the need the full force of the Met are available to us.”

Specialist financial investigators from the Serious and Organised Crime Command are supporting the operation.

They plan to use the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) to strip criminals of assets, such as cash, cars and houses, they have gained through illegal activities.

South London area commander Simon Letchford said: “We are confident that we will be charging a significant number of these individuals.”

He added: “We are creating a message that if you are going to commit crime in south London you are going to get caught.

“Burglary at its lowest level for 40 years. But we are not complacent.”

The dawn raids were sparked by an increase in burglary in the Bexley area 18 months ago.

Cmdr Letchford said: “Rather than just catch the burglars we wanted to go around those that organise and facilitate and arrange the crime.”

Some 31 people have already been charged as a direct result of the raids, leading to 29 convictions for a range of offences.