The commuting criminals: How London’s drug gangs turned to the Home Counties to beat the police

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy London street gangs have shifted some of their drug-dealing operations to the Home Counties under pressure from high-profile police tactics that have led to the break-up of dozens of gangs in the capital, senior detectives said today. There may be a perception by those involved that if they move their criminal activities outside of the London area, they will have an easier time of it.” A separate raid on a second gang in east London last month led to the arrests of 10 gang members for offences including drug dealing, and several who were held in connection with a burglary in Essex, amid evidence of wider illegal activity in the counties around London. Gangs have long identified so-called softer targets outside of the capital but senior detectives believe their intensive activity and improved intelligence-gathering of the estimated 3,200 gang members operating in London has increased pressure on the illegal operations. Detective Chief Superintendent Dean Haydon, the head of Scotland Yard’s Trident anti-gang crime unit, said that nearly 900 gang members were in prison and another 200 were subject to other measures including antisocial behaviour orders.