Officer Stabbed in Cockfosters Raid on Organised Crime Group

A police officer was stabbed in the leg in Cockfosters on Tuesday 29 September while participating in dawn raids. The incident occurred during a significant operation targeting a suspected organised crime group. The officer received treatment at the scene from colleagues and paramedics before being taken to hospital. His injuries were assessed as non-life changing, according to a Met Police spokesperson.

Widespread Operation Targets Organised Crime

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The raid in Barnet was part of a broader investigation involving more than 800 officers. In total, 17 people were arrested across 24 properties in London and four other counties: Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Suffolk. Searches at these locations were ongoing, with an expected continued police presence for several days, as reported by the Enfield Dispatch and Barnet Post.

This operation is the result of many months of intensive investigation by specialist detectives from the Metropolitan Police. They collaborated closely with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Officers from HMRC and the FCA are supporting the ongoing searches.

A Met Police spokesperson stated that the arrests represent a significant milestone in the investigation. Those apprehended are suspected of holding senior positions within serious and organised crime networks, involved in related financial offences. The spokesperson added that the impact of such crime extends beyond senior levels to affect communities through violence and exploitation. Investigating these groups is described as one of the Met’s most complex tasks, requiring substantial investment in time, money, and expertise from police and partner organisations.

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The Financial Conduct Authority reported that as part of the wider operation, they have disrupted seven firms and are actively investigating an additional 30. An FCA spokesperson commented that tackling financial crime relies on partnerships like the one demonstrated, built on months of cooperation. They affirmed the intention to continue working with police and other agencies to identify and disrupt organised crime groups exploiting the financial system for money laundering.

Among the 17 arrested individuals, comprising 15 men and two women aged between 26 and 65, eleven are accused of money laundering. Other alleged offences include tax evasion and false accounting. The Standard reported that a 56-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm in connection with the stabbing of the police officer.