A SOUTH Croydon home was raided by police targeting a gang suspected of trafficking young boys and girls to transport class A drugs.
Officers searched an address in Bramley Hill on suspicion of its links to a criminal network exploiting youths from south-east London to carry drugs to Hampshire and Kent.
No one at the address was arrested although there were 10 other dawn raids this morning (September 10) carried out in Lewisham, Lambeth, Haringey, Petham, Canterbury, Folkestone and Portsmouth.
Eight people have been arrested as part of the operation on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, inciting supply of class A drugs, child trafficking and money laundering.
They were an 18-year-old man in Lewisham, a 20-year-old man in Haringey, a 32-year-old man in Kent as well as a 42-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman in Hampshire.
A 20-year-old man, a 15-year-old boy and a 36-year-old woman were also produced from prison and arrested.
A large quantity of crack cocaine and what is believed to be a press used for the packaging of drugs have been recovered and £1,500 has been seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The intelligence-led operation by the Met was a joint partnership with Lewisham Council and the Home Office.