POLICE have arrested 14 men, seized £10,000 cash and two high-end cars in a series of dawn raids to tackle gang-related drug dealing in the London Road area.
The arrests came from 15 coordinated raids across Croydon, Lambeth, Sutton and Bromley at dawn this morning.
The fourteen suspects, aged between 14 and 37, have all been arrested on suspicion of a range of drug-supplying offences.
Police said those targeted were all believed to be gang members or involved in the supply of drugs in and around West Croydon and London Road.
The Advertiser was present at one of the dawn raids at a house in Alton Road, Waddon, where police arrested one of those men.
Watch a video of the raid below:
As well as the arrests, officers seized the cash and cars, a Mercedes and BMW, under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The raids have come after several months of ongoing police work, alongside Croydon Council, aimed at dealing with drug dealing, gang crime and antisocial behaviour in West Croydon, London Road and Broad Green.
Superintendent Carron Shusler, acting Borough Commander, said the operation had come on the back of concerns and complaints in the area about drugs and gangs.
She said: "I hope that the residents and businesses understand why we haven't been able to communicate what we've been doing to tackle this issue, and that today's action shows that we are serious about tackling crime and drug dealing in and around London Road and West Croydon.
"This certainly isn't the end of our activity and we'll be working closely with our partners and the local authority in the coming days, weeks and months to make sure that drug dealing and antisocial behaviour does not return to the area."
Acting Detective Inspector Guy Carmichael, from the Met's Trident Gangs Unit which also took part in the operation, said the arrests should have a "significant effect" on the availability of heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis in the London Road area, and would "vastly improve" the quality of life for those living and working there.
He said: "Drug dealing can only operate in an environment where the fear or threat of violence is prevalent.
"On this occasion we have arrested those who we believe to be responsible for the main supply of drugs in the area and who have intimidated residents, businesses and visitors to the borough by openly dealing drugs on the streets and in commercial premises."
After the raids, Croydon Council teams will join police in patrolling the Broad Green and London Road areas to update residents and businesses.
Councillor Mark Watson, cabinet member for safety and justice said: "This work sees the police working in partnership with the council to boost trust and public confidence in our services.
"The council's Safer Croydon Partnership is very involved with this work, with environmental and area enforcement officers, Trading Standards, housing services, parking services, the anti-social behaviour team, CCTV staff, and waste contractor Veolia all working with the police to help prevent crime and disorder in this area.
"National health and care provider Turning Point, and street-based youth team will also be on hand to talk to adults and young people who need support."
Streets where officers carried out raids in Croydon this morning:
Sumner Road,
Rigby Close,
Heath Road,
Stonecroft Way,
Alton Road,
Ridges Yard,
Lodge Road,
Beulah Hill,
Lansdowne Road,
Lower Addiscombe Road,
Cordrey Gardens.
An property in Mill Lane in Sutton was also raided.
