17 ARRESTED IN CRACKDOWN ON ORGANIZED CRIME

LONDON, SEPTEMBER 29 /SRNA/ - London police arrested 17 people in a major operation targeting organized crime.

Police said officers searched 24 locations in London and four other areas.

More than 800 officers took part in the early-morning raids at addresses in London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk in southeastern and eastern England.

Those arrested are suspected of a range of offenses, from money laundering and falsifying business records to tax evasion, as well as involvement in serious and high-level organized crime.

Searches remain under way at several locations, and police are expected to maintain a presence in the area for several more days.

An officer involved in the operation was stabbed in the leg while executing a search warrant at an address in Cockfosters, Barnet. He was treated at the scene by colleagues and paramedics before being taken to hospital, where doctors determined that his injuries were not expected to have any lasting effects.

The arrests followed a months-long intensive investigation by specialist London police officers working with HM Revenue and Customs /HMRC/ and the Financial Conduct Authority /FCA/.

As part of the wider operation, the FCA has shut down seven companies and is actively pursuing action against another 30.

An unnamed police spokesman said the arrests marked a significant milestone in the investigation.

"Those arrested are suspected of leading or playing senior roles in serious and organized crime, as well as related financial offenses. We recognize that the consequences of serious and organized crime extend far beyond those holding senior positions within the organizations involved," the statement said.