Met Police arrest Brixton man on stolen moped with Class A drugs and crowbar

A 28-year-old man was arrested in Brixton on 2 July after police found him carrying Class A drugs, cannabis, and £1,500 in cash while riding a stolen moped. The Metropolitan Police said the man was stopped by plain-clothes officers during a week-long operation targeting serious violence and drug supply in London.

During the stop, the suspect fled on foot, discarding a bag containing MDMA, cocaine, and pink cocaine, a mixture of ketamine, MDMA, and caffeine, onto the road. CCTV footage shows the man attempting to climb over an industrial bin in a car park before being tackled by an officer. The suspect then produced a crowbar, pointing it at the officer’s head before being disarmed.

Operation Gallium targets gang violence

The arrest was part of Operation Gallium, a Met Police initiative aimed at reducing gun crime and serious violence. Over seven days, the operation led to 297 arrests, with 238 people charged for offences including possession of weapons, drug supply, and attempted murder. Police also seized 38 weapons and conducted 233 stop-and-search operations.

Detective Chief Superintendent Emma Bond, who led the operation, said the Met was using every available power to remove dangerous offenders from London’s streets. Bond said knife crime in Lambeth and Southwark had fallen by 18% over the past 18 months, but gang-related violence remained a persistent threat.

Lambeth and Southwark see spike in homicides

Between 1 January and 2 June, Lambeth and Southwark recorded ten homicides, accounting for nearly 20% of the 55 killings across London this year, as reported by *The Times*. While knife crime has declined, gun crime rose by 5% in Lambeth and 11% in Southwark in the year to 30 June.

The Met Police said the number of serious violence offences in London had fallen by almost 20% over the past 18 months, with lethal gunshot victims down by 27%. Despite these reductions, Bond acknowledged that recent weeks had seen more families lose loved ones to violence.

What happens next

The 28-year-old suspect has been bailed pending further investigations. Operation Gallium is ongoing, with the Met Police stating it will continue to target gang activity and weapon possession in high-risk areas. Residents can report concerns about crime or weapons to the police via the Met’s website or by calling 101.