Police have carried out a series of raids during a three-day blitz on gangs in Birmingham.
Officers from our Birmingham East Organised Crime Unit teamed up with armed police and a dog unit to execute seven early morning warrants at addresses in the east of the city.
During one in Ward End Close, Washwood Heath, on Monday (8 March) a man fled the address but was tracked down hiding in a tree in a nearby garden.
The 33-year-old was arrested on suspicion of drug supply and gun possession in connection with an operation we ran last October that led to the discovery of guns and drugs from a parked car.
He’s been bailed pending further inquiries.
In a simultaneous raid officers forced entry to a house in Church Road, Stechford, where a significant quantity of cash, a CCTV hard drive, and mobile phones were seized.
More addresses were raided in Malthouse Lane and at neighboring homes in Ward End Park Road, Washwood Heath; Swancote Road in Stechford; and Clent Hill Drive, Rowley Regis, in the early hours of Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
No further arrests were made but more phones were seized for forensic analysis plus a machete recovered from the Sandwell raid.
The action came on the back of simmering tensions between rival groups and the threat of violence escalating.
Inspector Sharon Revitt from our Birmingham East Organised Crime & Gangs Unit said her team has recently been expanded − and that more people with gang links can expect similar rude awakenings.
She added: “There have been incidents of disorder and firearms discharges which we suspect are linked to tensions between two gangs in east Birmingham.
“It’s totally unacceptable: in any incident like this there is a chance a totally innocent member of the public could end up being seriously hurt.
“We’ve increased our officer numbers which gives us more scope to carry out disruption activity against people affiliated with gangs.
“We work with partners to help divert young people away from gangs and support those wanting to exit gangs and on paths to more positive futures.
“But for anyone who refuses our help, and continues to be a threat to our communities, we will come after them and use all tactics at our disposal to minimise their threat.”