The Metropolitan Police have published a review of their new initiative to tackle violent crime in the Croydon area.
The initiative, dubbed 'Operation Cleveland', aims to tackle anti-social behaviour in West Croydon, where one stabbing recently took place.
As the Croydon Guardian reported previously, police presence in Croydon increased after several stabbings, with a number of Section 60 Orders giving officers heightened powers to stop and search people in the area.
In a letter of review sent out to Croydon residents and published online on Saturday, police said that 28 arrests have been made for Drug and Violent offences in the past week.
Operation Cleveland Week 1 review
— Croydon MPS (@MPSCroydon) February 13, 2021
led by @MPSAndyBrittain & his dedicated officers week one of this targeted approach to Drug Offences and the violence it creates has gone well, full details in the letter below. 28 Arrests made for Drug and Violent offences across West Croydon pic.twitter.com/iLZiu93Zh4
"215 people have been stop and searched which resulted in many of the above arrests, with 9 weapons being recovered, and countless quantities of drugs being taken off the streets and out of the hands of dealers.
"Officers have conducted 174 weapons sweeps in West Croydon where some of the knives and the nasty looking adapted offensive weapon were recovered.
"Intelligence from the public and residents has seen us be able to execute 3 warrants this week all with successful arrests being made and a number of firearms being taken out of circulation to be destroyed.
"It does not end here, we continue to work over the weekend providing this robust, no nonsense approach to tackling these issues which are affecting our residents."
At the beginning of the week, Met Superintendent Andy Brittain reflected on the wave of stabbings in the area that left one 22-year-old dead after he was found fatally stabbed on Wisbeach Road in Croydon on February 5.
MORE: Plan to tackle violent crime in Croydon after stabbings
The Wisbeach Road incident is now being investigated with a murder probe by the Met Police.
It was just one of several stabbings to take place in Croydon between February 5 and Saturday 6, with the most recent occurring in the moments before a man was found around 3pm on London Road near West Croydon station with a stab wound.
Met Police are urging anyone with information about drug-related crimes in West Croydon, to contact them with confidentiality at Russell.Easterbrook3@met.police.uk.
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