Officer stabbed in Barnet as 17 arrested in organised crime raids

A police officer was stabbed in the leg while executing a warrant in Cockfosters, Barnet, on Tuesday morning. The officer's injuries are not life-threatening. The incident occurred as part of a large-scale operation involving more than 800 officers conducting dawn raids at 24 properties.

Widespread Arrests and Investigations

Seventeen individuals were arrested in total across London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Suffolk. The arrests are linked to an investigation by the Metropolitan Police, His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) into organised crime and financial offences. Searches at the raided properties are continuing, with a police presence expected for several days.

Those taken into custody include 15 men aged between 26 and 65, and two women aged 31 and 41. They are suspected of involvement in serious and organised crime, money laundering, cheating the public revenue, false accounting, and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm. A 56-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of GBH in connection with the stabbing incident.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated that the arrests represent a significant development in the ongoing investigation. The individuals arrested are believed to be involved at a senior level within a suspected organised crime group.

Financial Disruption

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has reported disrupting seven businesses as part of the operation and is actively pursuing action against an additional 30. The FCA's involvement highlights the financial crime aspect of the investigation, which includes suspected money laundering and revenue cheating.