Seventeen arrested as 800 officers raid 24 properties in organised crime sweep

More than 800 officers descended on 24 properties in a single morning, making it one of the largest coordinated enforcement operations of its kind in recent memory. The raids targeted addresses across London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, following many months of investigation by specialist Metropolitan Police detectives.

Seventeen people were arrested in total — 15 men aged between 26 and 65, and two women aged 31 and 41. Suspicions include participating in the activities of an organised crime group, money laundering, cheating the public revenue, false accounting and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm. A 56-year-old man was separately arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. All arrests are allegations; no finding of guilt has been established.

One officer was stabbed in the leg while executing a warrant in Cockfosters, Barnet. The injury was assessed as non-life-changing.

The figures show the scale of the three-agency effort. The FCA said it had disrupted seven firms as part of the operation and was actively pursuing a further 30 firms — suggesting the investigation’s reach extends well beyond the 24 properties searched on the day. Searches were continuing at several addresses, with a police presence expected to remain.

At the same time, the Metropolitan Police described the arrests as a significant stage in the investigation into people suspected of leading or being involved at a senior level in serious and organised crime and related financial offending. The FCA framed its involvement around suspected abuse of the financial system to launder money, while HMRC’s role points to suspected offences involving tax or public revenue.

The investigation was ongoing as of 29 September 2026.