To Britain's Rastafarians, the four coloured houses in south London are the holiest of grounds - visited by both their prophet Bob Marley and god incarnate Haille Selassie. But early this morning, police arrested 23 people in a drugs raid at the temple.

At 3.10am, about 100 armed officers stormed the Kennington buildings to swoop on what they suspect to be a drugs den visited by as many as 600 people a day.

Police believe the temple in St Agnes Place has been invaded by dealers of cannabis and crack cocaine.

"It was a place of worship," said Lambeth borough commander Martin Bridger. "It's the headquarters for the Rastafarian community for the UK, let alone Lambeth, and we're proud of that.

"But members of the management committee have actually come to me and said it's being taken over by people who are supplying drugs - it's no longer being used as a temple."

Over the last eight weeks, detectives have watched the site around the clock. Up to 200 people have been arrested on leaving the temple - 80% of them in possession of drugs, Chief Superintendent Bridger said.

"We found around 600 people per day going into the premises - and that was not just the odd day, it was a regular occurrence."

Evidence gathered against a "core" of about 12 suspected drug dealers included footage of a man waving a handgun outside the buildings.

This morning police set off an explosive with a loud bang to distract people in the temple while they filtered in.

By noon, officers have finished searching two of the temple's 32 rooms. Hidden under floorboards they found "several kilos" of cannabis, "a quantity" of crack cocaine, and six rounds of live ammunition.

"We have found what appears to be a cannabis room," said Ch Supt Bridger. "We believe people wanting to buy drugs would approach the temple, speak to a man on the door, tell him what type of drugs they were after and be shown to a relevant room."

Of the 23 arrests, one was unrelated to the drugs but connected to a gun murder in north London.

The police operation started in October after tip-offs about the "market", the borough commander added.

The temple, a row of four terraced houses decorated with the Rastafarian colours of red, green and yellow, have been at the centre of a court dispute with Lambeth Council over whether they should be torn down.

The site borders on Kennington Park, which was visited in 1937 by the Ethiopian emperor Haille Selassie - the man Rastafarians consider to be their god incarnate.

The reggae singer Bob Marley, whom they regard as a prophet, is believed to have stayed in the houses while recording an album in 1977.

But Lambeth Council wants to demolish the temple at 28-34 St Agnes Place to make room for new social housing in an area desperate for homes. The demolition would also help rid the neighbourhood of crime, the council believes.

Until 2005, more than 20 Victorian houses in St Agnes Place were occupied by squatters. Their eviction after more than 30 years marked the end of London's oldest squatted street.

The council is negotiating with the Rastafarians to find an alternative venue for the temple.

The police raid was not an attack on south London's Rastafarian community but a crackdown on drug dealers, Ch Supt Bridger said.

"The Rastafarian community has a long history in this borough. We are all keen that those genuine worshippers are able to practise at a safe location."