Police foil Notting Hill Carnival gang war plot

Police have foiled a plot to wage a violent gang war at this year's Notting Hill Carnival.

They believe members of south London gangs were arming themselves for the bank holiday event this month with an arsenal of weapons including a handgun, CS gas canisters and stun guns.

Police recovered the haul in a raid on a house in Bermondsey, which was part of an operation by the Met to disrupt criminals intent on breaking the law at Europe's biggest street festival.

A 17-year-old boy, who lives at the address, was arrested for possession of prohibited weapons.

Detectives suspect the house was being used as a weapons "shop" for gangs.

They found 22 CS gas canisters, eight stun guns, a gas-powered handgun and silencer, an extendable baton, a flick knife and cannabis.

The raid brought together borough officers who target gang-related crime with those involved in pre-carnival planning and intelligence.

Last month police involved in Operation Hamrow arrested two men in Peckham, one on suspicion of possessing CS gas and the other on suspicion of possessing cannabis.

Officers have also searched a series of addresses and recovered a replica 9mm handgun and two CS gas canisters.

Chief Inspector Jo Edwards, the Met's spokeswoman for this year's carnival, said: "Thousands of people fill the streets of Notting Hill every August Bank Holiday and crime rates remain relatively low.

"This operation is designed to help keep crime levels that way and send the message to criminals that they won't be tolerated."