Armed cops smash ‘rent-a-gun’ gang as 350 officers swoop in dawn raids across London, Essex and Kent

ARMED cops smashed a ‘rent-a-gun’ gang as 350 officers swooped in dramatic dawn raids.

Tooled-up cops stormed into 11 addresses in London, Essex and Kent as police targeted crooks using guns in revenge attacks.

Armed cops smashed their way into 11 addresses as they targeted gangs renting guns in revenge attacksCredit: Met Police

Tooled-up officers were filmed preparing to mount this morning’s raidCredit: Met Police

The raids took place across Barking, Harwich and Canterbury as officers from the Met, Kent and Essex Police made 10 arrests, executing 11 firearms warrants.

Four firearm recovery dogs took part in the early morning raids, which came after a spate of shootings and stabbings in Barking, East London.

Detectives discovered a criminal gang was plotting violent revenge attacks on targeted victims.

Suspects arrested in this morning’s operation were involved in ‘renting’ firearms in revenge plots, police believe.

DAWN SWOOP

Police footage shows heavily armed cops preparing to mount the daring operation, which was part of Operation Wordwell.

Specialist firearms officers are seen preparing their weapons as fellow cops grab police shields before smashing their way into suspects’ addresses.

Cops in jet-black body armour and helmets unload their equipment from police cars before carrying out the raids.

A police German Shepherd is seen being walked around a yard before officers swoop.

Officers in jet-black body armour and helmets check their weapons before one raidCredit: Met Police

A police German Shepherd was seen being walked around a police yard before the daring operationCredit: Met Police

Ten suspects were arrested in this morning’s joint police operation across London, Kent and EssexCredit: Met Police

Video taken after one raid shows a barefoot suspect in shorts being searched by two officers.

Ten people, aged between 16 and 20 years old, were arrested for offences including conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to commit GBH with intent.

They remain in police custody following the crackdown, with the Met saying the joint police operation had “thwarted a criminal gang”.

Detective Superintendent Paul Trevers, who led the operation for the Met, said: “Following a number of violent incidents in east London, officers from the East Area Gangs Unit have meticulously pulled this operation together, which has taken months of hard work and dedication. 

“This operation – Operation Wordwell – started in September 2020 following a number of shootings and stabbings in Barking, East London.

“By linking the offences, officers realised that one criminal gang were planning violent attacks on other individuals.

“By making these pre-planned arrests today, we have been able to thwart a criminal gang involved in the use of lethal firearms.”

Police continued searching the addresses after carrying out the dawn swoops.

Top cops set up a specialist operations room to observe the raids as they took place, with members of the public from Independent Advisory Groups (IAGs) present.

Chief Inspector Darren Deex, Operational Policing Command, Essex Police, said: “In working with the Metropolitan Police today, not only have we supported colleagues to make an arrest, we have helped make Essex that little bit safer.

“Our residents know that we will always take action to remove firearms and weapons off our streets and bring those who carry or use them to justice, and we take pride in knowing the community supports us in that aim.

“There is no place for such violence in our county.”