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Police make arrests ahead of Carnival
Police staged a series of dawn swoops today during pre-emptive strikes to avoid Notting Hill Carnival becoming a victim of England's rioting crisis.
A total of 40 suspects have been arrested in raids across the capital during preparations for the force's biggest policing presence at the event.
The Metropolitan Police launched a "robust" carnival strategy as intelligence suggested gangs are planning trouble.
Operation Razorback targets known troublemakers and gangs across London who may plan to use the carnival as a venue for violence and criminal activity.
A team of armoured officers descended on one leafy terraced street in Notting Hill to arrest an 18-year-old suspected drug dealer as officers executed five warrants this morning.
Pre-event arrests are down on last year but Scotland Yard Commander Steve Rodhouse says he is "really confident" he has the resources at his disposal to protect the event on Sunday and Monday.
A total of 5,500 officers will be on patrol in the carnival area on Sunday while 6,500 will take to the streets on Monday.
In addition there will be more than 4,000 additional officers elsewhere in London "as well as the thousands who are normally on duty", Mr Rodhouse said.
He said the "degree of chatter" surrounding trouble makers was consistent with previous years - despite thousands of arrests in the wake of the wave of looting and violence that gripped England a fortnight ago.
"We realise that carnival will be taking place this year in unusual and exceptional circumstances," he added.
"In the light of what's happened over London over those three nights, it's only right that we've thoroughly reviewed our operation for the Notting Hill Carnival."
The police chief said troublemakers were plotting disruption via social networking technology.
He said: "Our intelligence picture is still being developed as we approach the weekend and it will be kept under review right up to and indeed during the carnival itself.
"At this stage it would be fair to say we do have intelligence that some gangs do want to come to the carnival and create trouble for us.
"Plus we know that some people believe that we will be diverted from policing the rest of London due to the Notting Hill Carnival, leaving the rest of the capital without a policing presence. This is not the case."
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