More Than 740 Criminals Arrested In UK As Police Raids A Fraud Gang Of Phone Messaging Service

#1 Country's biggest raid ever

UK police carried out the country's biggest raid today and with collective efforts across the country, the police were able to recover £54 million of cash, two tonnes of drugs, and 77 firearms.

The raid is said to be a huge fight against drugs, guns and crime mafia in the country.

Met Police

The two-month operation helped seize the illegal cash and also successfully confiscate weapons such as hand grenades and machine guns.

#2 The raid was carried out simultaneously throughout the country

Operation Venetic saw the National Crime Agency and forces across Europe manage to crack a secure phone system called Enrochat. It's similar to WhatsApp but only comes pre-loaded onto phones that are engineered especially.

According to Scotland Yard over 177 people have been taken into custody during the crackdown operation and over 99 people ave been charged so far.

Met Police

Raids have taken place in the following areas:

Hullbridge, Essex

Basildon, Essex

South Woodham Ferrers, Essex

Liverpool

Birmingham

London

Oldham, Greater Manchester

Cleveland

Glasgow

Edinburgh

Aviemore

Blantyre

Larkhall

Whitburn

Johnstone

East Kilbride

Clydebank

Coatbridge

Renfrewshire

North Lanarkshire

Newry, Northern Ireland

Cardiff

Newport, South Wales

#3 Police were successfully able to £54 million of cash, two tonnes of drugs, and 77 firearms

Commissioner Cressida Dick said: "This operation is the most significant activity, certainly in my career, we have ever carried out against serious and organised criminality across London."

"Organised crime groups have used encrypted communications to enable their offending. They have openly discussed plots to murder, launder money, deal drugs and sell firearms capable of causing atrocious scenes in our communities. They were brazen and thought they were beyond the reach of the law."

"Organised crime does not respect geographical boundaries. Those responsible for it adapt quickly and take advantage of every opportunity."

"This operation has enabled us to target those at the top of the hierarchy and individuals we have known about for years but have not been able to tackle head on."

"This offending has a direct impact on our communities - those involved appear to have an air of respectability, but their actions leave a trail of misery and are inextricably linked to the violent scenes we see play out on our streets."

"Our investigators, intelligence analysts, firearms officers, Territorial Support Group and our local officers have worked day and night over the past two months to progress our investigations as part of this operation."

Met Police

#4 "We know who they are and we have seen what they are doing and who they are doing it with. We will not rest until they have seen justice."

"Through this work with our international partners, we have significantly developed our understanding of organised criminality in London and the ways in which some of our most prolific and dangerous offenders operate."

"This is just the beginning, there are many more people we are investigating. We know who they are and we have seen what they are doing and who they are doing it with. We will not rest until they have seen justice."