Seven men and two women have been arrested as a result of a major operation to crack down on drug dealing in Thamesmead.

Officers from the Met Police's TSG, Bexley Police and the Thamesmead East and Lesnes Abbey Safer Neighbourhood Teams carried out a series of dawn raids.

Warrants were executed at 11 addresses in Thamesmead and one address in Ealing.

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The seized weapons

The suspects, aged between 18 and 56, were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, predominantly the supply of class A and class B drugs. They remain in custody at a south London police station.

Around 1kg of class A drugs, two large carrier bags of cannabis, over £30,000 cash and a variety of weapons have been recovered from the addresses so far.

Bexley Borough Commander Jeff Boothe said: “These raids today are the final phase of an operation that has taken meticulous preparation by our local Safer Neighbourhoods Teams and CID.

“It fulfils one of our main objectives - to take harmful drugs off the streets and make our communities safer.

“Bexley remains a low crime borough and we want to reassure the public, by sending a message to anyone dealing drugs in Bexley, it will not be tolerated.

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The seized money

“These drug dealers have blighted the area and taken advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our community and we are hopeful that they receive lengthy custodial sentences.

“None of this could have been achieved without the intelligence received from the community.”

Anyone with information about any criminal activity is asked to call the police either by dialling 101, or contacting crime stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.