Islington News: Stroud Green Road | Finsbury Park | Police Raid | Drugs

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 10 October 2008

Man arrested during the drugs raid in Stroud Green Road on Tuesday

Drugs squad swoop hailed as ‘success’

Police claim raid on shopping street has taken down dealers’ ‘infrastructure’

POLICE were this week claiming a major breakthrough in their drive to sweep drugs off Islington’s streets.
An afternoon raid in Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, on Tuesday resulted in four arrests.
Police believe the swoop has broken up one arm of the borough’s drug trade with the arrest of a leading dealer, a drugs runner and an “introducer”, who brings dealers and addicts together.
Speaking after Tuesday’s raid, Insp Andy Mariner said: “It was a great success. The infrastructure has been taken down.”
The daylight arrests in a busy shopping street bring the tally of suspects held for drugs offences to 25. The latest raid – part of Operation Faldo, which has been running since August – was the culmination of three months work, in which undercover officers posed as crack addicts to win the confidence of dealers.
So far, 14 raids have been staged at Tufnell Park, Stroud Green Road and Grimaldi Park in Pentonville Road, King’s Cross.
Sgt Derek Wright said the aim of the operation was to “relieve the area of drug sellers and claim it back for the residents of Islington”.
Tuesday’s raid in Stroud Green Road involved 18 police officers, many in plain clothes. Among those arrested was a 40-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman. A 55-year-old man gave himself up to police.
A 19-year-old man was arrested nearby on suspicion of selling heroin and cocaine.
In a second swoop, police descended on two homes in nearby Birnam Road, where drugs were found in a flat.
An earlier raid led to the closure of a crack house in Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park.
Police were originally investigating conflicts between rival youth gangs for control of areas but the investigation soon turned into an anti-drugs operation.
The next stage is to ensure other dealers do not move in. Insp Mariner said: “We don’t just take people out and allow the void to be filled. The main people will be prevented from coming back.
“People dealing from their houses will have their houses closed down.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: