Essex Crime: Gang used Purfleet shipping containers for drug, weapon and money storage in county lines drug network

A medication gang used an Essex container yard to retailer medicine, weapons and money for crime.

More than 200 of the shipping containers have been searched and 4 folks have since been arrested following a raid on a suspected county lines medicine gang.

Officers from the Metropolitan, Essex and British Transport Police joined for the operation on Wednesday, May 19, specializing in a industrial container yard in Purfleet in Thurrock, Essex.

It is believed the gang used the positioning for storage, with police investigators discovering medicine, money, weapons and three stolen off-road autos throughout the first few hours of looking.

Police say the suspected gang operated in London and Lincolnshire however saved their items in Purfleet in Thurrock, Essex.

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County lines networks are city drug sellers that promote unlawful substances to a rural buyer base and are infamous for exploiting youngsters to behave as couriers and taking up the properties of weak folks.

Detective Sergeant Owen Morgan, from the Metropolitan Police, mentioned: “There’s an simple hyperlink between medicine and violence, and it’s essential we proceed to behave on this. “That’s why disrupting the availability of medication continues to kind a central a part of our work to deal with violence on the road.

Metropolitan Police handout picture of officers as they search greater than 200 shipping containers at a industrial container yard in Purfleet, Essex throughout daybreak raids on a suspected county lines medicine gang. Picture date: Wednesday May 19, 2021.

“This operation won’t solely disrupt criminals utilizing lock-up amenities to retailer their felony property however may also provide a wealth of knowledge that, following this operation, will probably be totally investigated.”

The 4 folks arrested have been one man detained on the yard on suspicion of possession of a firearm whereas three others – two males and a girl – have been arrested for suspected medicine possession throughout linked raids on properties in Havering, east London.

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