Dozens of police officers stormed a notorious cannabis den in Shepherd's Bush Market yesterday in a show of force aimed at wrestling back control of a section of the market from suspected criminals.
Helmeted officers from the Territorial Support Group (TSG) led the raid on a first floor business unit off Lime Grove at the back of the market, arresting three people for possession with intent to supply and issuing ten warnings for cannabis smoking.
The ward's Safer Neighbourhood Team, led by Acting Inspector Finbarr King, secured the rest of the market, detaining 35 people with a special Section 60 stop and search power.
Intelligence gathered by Hammersmith and Fulham Police Drug Squad, who planned the meticulous raid, suggested the premises had been openly used to deal and smoke drugs, prompting a slew of complaints from stallholders and local residents.
Police Community Support Officers routinely faced abuse and intimidation during patrols of the market and improvised weapons and stashes of drugs had been found in previous raids, said Act. Insp King.
"It's not a no-go area, but we can't police it as we would like to. Historically this premises is a focal point for drug dealing in the market. We hope the operation shows we've listened to the concerns of locals and stallholders and are ready to act on their complaints."
The operation had to be conducted at lightening speed as the drug den was known to employ spotters to alert those inside to a police presence.
Plain clothes officers watching the premises were key to the sting, making sure a gate leading to the unit remained open for officers to pour forwards and upstairs to the unit.
TSG officers, carrying batons, bolt cutters and ramming equipment hit the unit from the west off the market, while uniformed police from the ward's Safer Neighbourhood Team secured the area.
British Transport Police set up knife arches at Shepherd's Bush Market and Goldhawk Road in a co-ordinated effort to reassure residents of the police presence in the area.
The property was handed back to the landlord after several hours of searching.
