Dramatic fall in knife crime as police target two notorious gangs
KNIFE crime in a London borough has plunged after a police operation to target two warring street gangs, it was claimed today.
Police said there were 50 stabbings involving under-25s in Hackney in the 12 months to November, compared with 90 over the previous year — a fall of 46 per cent. They said knife offences overall were down nine per cent over the same period.
Detectives say the reduction is linked to a nine-month blitz on the two gangs, which were behind a surge in violence including murder. The rivals, known as Stokey and Manor House, used drill music videos to engage in a drugs turf war, taunting each other over real-life gun and knife attacks.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Webb, of Hackney Gangs Unit, said: “We would see videos being released online with drill musicians openly taunting their rivals and then we would see tit-for-tat incidents in response which usually involved a stabbing or a shooting.
“As one incident happened the rival gang would respond. These were mindless actions resulting in some horrific injuries as well as murder.”
Initially, police struggled to arrest offenders because victims refused to speak to officers. Det Sgt Webb said they were “constantly met with a rule of silence from gang members … too fearful of being accused of being a snitch or a grass. Instead, they dealt with it in their own way through retribution.
“We were having a real battle… not being able to prosecute people because the evidence was not there.”
Detectives switched strategies to target the gangs’ drug-dealing activities, using covert tactics. Det Sgt Webb said: “One of the county lines being operated by the gang was receiving several hundred calls a day with deals at £20 each.”
Police recovered £50,000 in raids on suspects’ homes while senior gang members drove top-of-the-range hire cars, such as BMWs and Mercedes. Some suspects had ordered gold jewellery in the design of the gang logo.
So far, Operation Ballymore has led to 35 arrests, 27 charges and 13 jail sentences. Last week, seven men who admitted drugs offences were sentenced at Wood Green crown court. Shannon Robertson, 24, of Tottenham, was jailed for five years for conspiracy to supply a Class A drug and Kjell HenrySobers, 27, of Stoke Newington, got four years and nine months for conspiracy to supply and supplying Class A drugs.
Jerrell Rose-Smith, 23, was jailed for two years, Altan Gultekin, 29, three years, Koby Milton, 19, two years, three months, and Simone Di Bernardo, 19, got 12 months suspended. All are from Manor House. Shane Appleby, 20, of Hackney, got two and a half years.
Det Sgt Webb added: “Our message to gangs is that you do not own the streets.”