Khaberni - The London Metropolitan Police unveiled an intensive security campaign targeting organized crime gangs across the city, including the notorious Turkish mafia, in a move aimed at reducing the murder rate to the lowest level in a decade.
Official statistics showed 97 murders in London in the year ending January 2026, compared to 109 in 2024, registering a decrease of 11%. This marked a significant improvement compared to 2021, which saw a record number of 133 fatalities, including 30 teenagers, while the number of teenage victims in 2025 did not exceed eight.
The police attributed this decrease to a series of measures, the most prominent being the increased use of facial recognition technology, and intensifying awareness campaigns about the dangers of knife-stabbing crimes among school students, according to "Metro".
However, the crux of the strategy lies in dismantling organized crime groups, particularly drug dealers who rely on street violence.
Rick Stewart, head of detectives in the Metropolitan Police, pointed out that gangs like the Turkish "Bombatcilar" and the rival "Tottenham Boys" pose the most significant threats, noting that cooperation with Europol and the National Crime Agency has helped combat the smuggling of firearms into the UK and Europe.
Stewart explained that a campaign that began in 2024 resulted in the recovery of 138 firearms and 2500 rounds of ammunition from an organized Turkish group, noting that conflicts between gangs, especially the Turkish gangs in north and east London, were among the main sources of drug-related violence.
He also pointed out that drug smuggling operations across counties, which are not necessarily linked to large gangs, exploit teenagers to deliver drugs to the streets, sometimes leading to deadly confrontations with rival gangs.
Metro police recently conducted an early morning raid on the home of a suspect, targeting what is known as the "Adam Line" for drug smuggling. These operations are part of ongoing efforts to curb gang activity and secure the streets of the capital.
It is worth noting that the violence among Turkish gangs dates back many years, as in 2012 "Ali Armagan," 32 years old, a leader of one of the Turkish criminal families, was shot by rivals in front of Turnpike Lane station while driving his Audi limousine.
