Police raided a West Norwood flat last week hunting for suspected Afghan illegal immigrants who had taken part in a gang fight.

Special Branch, immigration officers and police swooped on the flat in Truslove Road last Wednesday as part of a series of dawn raids across Lambeth and Croydon in response to the fight that erupted in broad daylight outside a shopping centre in Croydon.

The West Norwood flat was one of the first to be raided, and four Afghan nationals - two of whom held British passports - were arrested.

The operation was launched after two groups of men from rival Afghan factions launched a pitched battle outside of the Whitgift Centre on September 26 about 4.30pm.

Two Afghan factions of Pushtu and Dari speaking youths attacked each other as shoppers walked through busy North End.

A joint operation was launched between Croydon Police, the Immigration Agency, Territorial Support Group and Special Branch to bring the men, some of whom were believed to be illegal immigrants, to justice.

A police officer said: “We had reports of a woman trying to intervene shortly before the two groups started fighting, luckily for her, her son pulled her away from the fracas.”

Sergeant Darrin Birmingham said: “The police are working tirelessly with its partners to try and make this borough safer for the law abiding citizens that live here.

“If you have committed a crime you will be brought to justice whether it’s for gang violence or a public disorder offence.”

He added: “As a force we are fed up of people trying to ruin this town, we will do everything we can to bring criminals to justice and we work day and night to do this.

“Only then can we start to make it a safer and more enjoyable place to live for everyone.”

A total of five men were arrested in the raids for public order offences with two also arrested for suspected immigration offences.

They have all been bailed and are due to reappear at a south London police station early next month.