RAIDS were carried out by police at 23 homes in the Stonebridge Estate in an attempt to track down gang members involved in the London riots.

Officers from the Brent Police service and the Territorial Support Group swooped the Harlesden estate in the early hours of this morning.

The action was carried out in response to evidence gathered about the 'Thugs of Stonebridge' gang.On August 9 last year, officers on patrol in West Ella Road, Harlesden, arrested 22 people in suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary. 

Thought to be members of the gang, they were caught running from two transit vans, which had allegedly been en route to loot a commercial premises.

They were taken to Wembley police station and bailed pending further enquiries.

So far 14 of the 22 people originally arrested in August, were further arrested today and a number of phones, a laptop and drugs were recovered. 

Those arrested are currently custody at police stations across London, as further searches and enquiries continue.

Chief Superintendent Matthew Gardner, Brent Borough Commander, said: "The MPS is cracking down on gang crime in London to protect communities. 

We will continue to relentlessly pursue gangs and gang members through proactive operations and investigations such as this.

"We will be working with Brent partners to prevent young people from joining gangs in the first place. Although most young people in Brent and London are law-abiding, good citizens, we know there are too many who are in gangs or could get involved in, gangs.

"These arrests also demonstrate our commitment to prosecute all those who took part in the London disorder and come at a time when Operation Withern have now made more than 4000 arrests".

Officers will be leafleting homes in and around the Stonebridge area with details of the operation and will also hold a publicmeeting for the local community to attend at 7pm tonight in the Sattavis Patidar Centre, Forty Lane near the junction with The Avenue, Wembley Park.