Armed police raid homes under cover of darkness

UNDER cover of darkness, a convoy of six police vans and unmarked cars swept into one of suburban London’s most exclusive enclaves.

On either side, million-euro mock Tudor mansions sat silently behind towering cedar trees.

In every driveway a Mercedes or people carrier testified to the wealth of the area.

And, in six hours, children would be walking down the road towards the North London Collegiate School, one of Britain's top performing schools.

To the City traders, stockbrokers and lawyers living in his leafy part of Edgware, north London, the world of heroin-dealing and gang warfare would seem a million miles away.

But as they slept on oblivious, armed police from Scotland Yard's SO19 firearms squad closed in on two Kurdish men suspected of being part of Britain's biggest organised crime family.

The officers knew the family's reputation and they knew they could be trouble.

Safety was at a premium and every officer had in their mind the tragic death of Special Branch detective Stephen Oake during a terrorist raid in Manchester last week.

Superintendent Mark Ricketts, one of the leaders of Operation Narita, told them: "Body armour will be worn by all officers if there is anyone here without it, they are not going.

"My measure of success is that you will all get home uninjured. The other successes we can hope for later on."

Firearms officers were also given a clear indication that they could come under attack with heavy-duty weaponry and were given strong backing to use whatever force was needed.

Chief superintendent Stephen James, in overall charge of the operation, said: "These weapons are real, they exist and we are encountering them.

"In the event of an emerging critical incident it is my expectation you will seek an early resolution to the incident rather than a withdrawal. You have my support."

The target for the raid was a €1,350,000 detached house just off Canons Drive, in Edgware. It had lead-embossed windows and a new Audi parked outside the garage.

As the gang suspects slept, dozens of armed officers stormed the front door using an "enforcer" battering ram. Moments later the door was lying in the courtyard and officers burst inside through an interior set of double glass doors.

There they found two Kurdish families, including young children. There were 16 people in the house.

The two men they had targeted were brought shuffling outside, looking stunned.

The search of the house was expected to last well into the day, leaving locals to ponder what had been going on in their midst.