Audio: Asst Ch Constable
for special operations Alan Pughsley

Head of crime and intelligence Det Ch Insp Mark Powell said:
"Whenever you launch an operation like this you don’t know what the
results are going to give you.

"You have got good quality intelligence, which is why you focus
on these addresses, and these people, in the first place. But,
frankly, you can’t say for sure what you are going to find.

"The results we’ve had today are better than we would have
expected. You always expect to get a certain degree of success when
you execute a search warrant, but the results we’ve had today are
really good. Taking a gun off the streets for Kent is a big
thing."

Summary

Arrests:

21

Offences:

Robbery (armed)

Burglary

Grievous bodily harm

Theft

ATM crime

Drugs-related offences (inc. possession with intent to
supply)

Seizures:

Drugs (believed to be ½ kilo cocaine & 2 kilos of
amphetamine)

Cash

Firearm

Laptop

Miscellaneous (garden equipment, fishing equipment)

Searches:

20 homes searched

Towns:

17 (Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Gravesend, Greenhithe,
Swanscombe, Erith, West Malling, Tonbridge, Canterbury, Ramsgate,
Whitstable, Thanet, Hothfield, Ruckinge, Lydd, Maidstone)

Arrests breakdown:

Medway = 6

Armed robbery

Grievous bodily harm

Burglary

North Kent = 3

Burglary

West Kent = 5

Theft

Possession with intent to supply (Class A and B drugs)

East Kent = 3

Drugs possession

Possession with intent to supply

South Kent = 2

Burglary (ATM offences)

Mid Kent = 2

Commercial burglary