Them razorback operations there

[North Aleng]

GANG members will spy for the police to give them advance warning of any trouble at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival.

Officers have already seized two samurai swords and arrested 19 people suspected of plotting to cause trouble or deal drugs at this weekend’s festival after being tipped off by a special Carnival intelligence unit codenamed Razorback.

They have also written to another 150 known troublemakers, warning them they will not be able to get anywhere near the festival.

Detectives say gangs will attempt to travel to the west London event but Razorback will monitor their movements, and crowds of officers at transport hubs will target them with stop and searches then turn them away before they get close to the parade.

Further ‘layers’ of police will be searching people at the entrance to the Carnival area, and seizing dangerous dogs, while uniformed officers will patrol along the parade route itself.

"At any event like this you can see gangs travelling in from other areas of London. The intelligence unit is aware of this and will act on it. We receive information from a range of sources including gangs"

Chief Inspector Jo Edwards said: "At any event like this you can see gangs travelling in from other areas of London. The intelligence unit is aware of this and will act on it. We receive information from a range of sources including gangs."

Last year officers swooped on more than 150 known gang members heading to the Carnival from Oval after a tip-off. They are relying on similar intelligence - some from gang members - to warn them of any similar attempts this year.

Around 6,000 police working 11,000 shifts will be needed to cover the Carnival 24 hours a day on Sunday and Monday, with up to a million people expected if the weather is good.

Edwards said that crime levels are low considering the number of visitors, with 265 arrests and 572 reported crimes last year, although the end of the event was marred by around 40 people who threw bottles and bricks at police.

She said: "Crime levels were down last year after we took a pro-active approach using stop and search, screening arches and wands, which were successful in finding people with weapons. We will develop the same approach this year.

"It is the biggest carnival in Europe and we are confident we have the resources in place to cover any eventuality and make this a safe event."

Kensington and Chelsea council have issued a curfew for the first time in the Carnival’s 45 year history to cut the chances of violence. Judging of the floats must finish by 6.30pm so they will finish the course by 9pm. Although police will not clear the streets, the council said people will leave of their own accord.

Officers have raided homes in Peckham, Pimlico, Battersea, Ealing, Tottenham and Southwark as part of a police crackdown ahead of the Notting Hill Carnival

A POLICE crackdown on troublemakers ahead of next week’s Notting Hill Carnival has led to eight arrests.

These images show officers raiding homes in Peckham and Pimlico.

Officers also searched addresses in Battersea, Ealing, Tottenham and Southwark in a bid to reduce crime at this year’s event.

Suspects were held for offences ranging from the supply of Class A drugs, handling stolen goods and breaching anti-gang measures.

DCI Helen Millichap, in charge of Operation Razorback, said: "We want the thousands of people who go along to the Carnival each year to enjoy this unique and vibrant event to the full, so we’re asking anyone who may know someone intending to cause trouble to get in touch."

Detectives have also written to 150 known criminals warning them not to attend the event.

The two-day Carnival, on 30 and 31 August, is expected to attract 1.5m people.

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LOL at having to move like a terrorist cell to get carnival this year, them take a trip to uxbridge/slough to backdoor nottinghill ones