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August 2023
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The Met teamed together with five other police forces to target those involved in drug supply, operating on the road and rail networks near county borders.
The three-day operation, badged Operation Pandilla, saw officers from the Met work alongside with Thames Valley, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Kent and British Transport Police. Officers deployed to hotspot areas based on intelligence and used Automatic Number Plate Recognition to target vehicles which activated the technology and showed a link to violence and associated crimes. Youth workers from the charity Bounce Back, who interact with young offenders offering support and guidance to help them find ways out of criminal lifestyles, also joined the operation, working in dedicated custody suites providing immediate intervention. The operation, which ran between 11-13 January, resulted in (MPS results only):
Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, who led the operation, said: “Tackling violent crime and the supply of drugs is a top priority, which includes targeting the drivers which fuel. “The key aim of this operation was to stop drugs and weapons being brought onto the streets. Preventing these crimes, while also safeguarding vulnerable individuals on the cusp of violence, is paramount. “As part of this operation, young people received instant support, independent of police. This type of collaborative approach can have a real impact on finding longer-term solutions reducing violent crime.” + Officers from the Met’s Violent Crime Taskforce (VCTF) were supported by the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC), Met Intelligence, the Dog Support Unit and the National Police Air Service (NPAS). Op Pandilla was deployed to these specific hotspot areas across London:
+ Last year, January to December 2021 (Calendar Year), compared to the same period prior to the pandemic in 2019, saw:
If you have any information about drug crime or violence, please contact police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 – your anonymity is guaranteed. They are a totally independent charity and you remain 100 per cent anonymous, they never ask your name and they cannot trace your call, your IP address or device you use. Alternatively, visit their website https://crimestoppers-uk.org/. the drug files
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Summary of the Case Below:
Abel Buafo, a 23-year-old man, has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison after posting videos on social media where he brandished a knife at a nightclub in North London. Buafo was found guilty of a range of charges, including possession of a knife, Class A and B drugs (MDMA, cocaine, and cannabis), criminal property, and involvement in the supply of a Class A drug (cocaine). Police were alerted to Buafo's behaviour by Snapchat videos, where he was seen dancing, singing, and waving a black folding knife around the nightclub. He was also seen dropping the knife, picking it up, and repeatedly flicking it open. Buafo referred to the knife as his "blicky" in the videos, slang for a knife. Later, Buafo posted another Snapchat video outside the club, defiantly stating he didn't care about the police and had his "blicky" with him. He followed this up with another post in which he lamented losing his "shank," another term for a knife. Upon searching his home, officers found a plethora of drug paraphernalia, cannabis, MDMA pills, and a large amount of counterfeit money. Also, the police found a Rambo-style knife and a white powder in the sink that was later identified as phenacetin, commonly used as a cutting agent for making crack cocaine. Further investigation led officers to another property connected to Buafo, where they found more cannabis, cocaine, and evidence of drug supply. Buafo refused to comment during his police interview but was later charged and convicted for his crimes. Further Analysis and Insights: This case illustrates the dangers of social media misuse and the link between drug-related activities and violence. Buafo's brazen display of a knife in a public space such as a nightclub is an affront to public safety, exhibiting an apparent disregard for the law. The fact that he was so brazen as to film and post this activity on Snapchat indicates a sense of invincibility or lack of concern about the potential legal consequences. This case is a reminder that evidence of criminal behaviour on social media platforms can and will be used in court. Moreover, Buafo's case showcases the intricate relationship between drug-related offences and violent crime. The presence of drugs, cash, drug paraphernalia, and offensive weapons in his home points to an individual heavily involved in the drug trade, which often goes hand-in-hand with violent behaviour. Finally, this case underscores the relentless efforts of law enforcement agencies in tackling violent crime and drug offences. The conviction and sentencing of Buafo send a strong message to others that such behaviour will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law. Possibilities for Defending Solicitors In defending Abel Buafo, his solicitors could have adopted several strategies depending on the circumstances and the available evidence. Here are a few possibilities:
The Case A man has been jailed after he brazenly filmed himself on social media with a knife in a north London nightclub. Abel Buafo, 23 (25.08.97), of Berry Lane, Lambeth, was sentenced on Friday, 17 September at Inner London Crown Court to six years and four months' imprisonment. Buafo pleaded guilty to numerous offences between 12 March 2020 and Thursday, 29 July, including possession of a knife, possession of Class A drugs (MDMA and cocaine), possession of a Class B drug (cannabis), possession of criminal property and being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug (cocaine). The court heard that detectives were alerted to Snapchat videos of Buafo at a nightclub on Silver Street in Enfield, on 22 December 2019 where he recorded himself in ‘selfie style’ waving a black folding knife around the venue. Officers reviewed CCTV from the nightclub for the same evening which corroborated the Snapchat footage. The footage showed Buafo dancing and singing while waving the knife around, pointing it at his phone’s camera as well as towards people. The footage also showed Buafo ‘fist bumping’ people while holding the knife. firearms and knife offences solicitors He is seen several times to get the knife out of his pocket and flick it open – at one point he is seen to drop it on the floor before picking it up. In the Snapchat footage, he says he has his ‘blicky at the rave,’ while holding the knife up to the camera. Blicky is a slang term for knife. In Snapchat footage of Buafo outside the club, he states ‘I’ve got my blicky on me.’ His friend nudges him and says ‘shhh’ to which Buafo replies ‘I don’t even care about the feds bruv, on my mum’s life.’ Later that day he posted an image on Snapchat looking sad with the caption ‘lost my shank.’ Shank is also a slang term for knife. On 11 February 2020, officers forced entry to his home address on Berry Lane. Upon entry, officers noticed that the sink was overflowing with a number of plates, which had a white coloured layer of bubbles forming on them. Officers noted that they were not ‘typical washing-up bubbles’ but something derived from a diluted powder of chemical – giving the impression that Buafo had hurriedly flushed something down the sink. Officers took a sample of the white powder in the sink, which was found to be phenacetin, a well-known cutting agent for making crack cocaine. Officers searched the property and found an overwhelming amount of drugs paraphernalia as well as scales, snap bags, a hydraulic press, cannabis and MDMA pills. Officers also found £225 in cash and £1,200 in counterfeit cash, as well as a Rambo-style knife. Officers also searched another address linked to Buafo on Walworth Road, SE1, where they found a large bag of cannabis, 903mg of cocaine, two scales and snap bags. Buafo was arrested and taken to a south London police station where he offered no prepared statement and answered no comment to all questions put to him – even when he was shown the CCTV and Snapchat footage. Detectives examined Buafo’s phone where they found evidence of drug supply going back to September 2018 as well as evidence of him living a lavish lifestyle with a photo album of expensive items. He was subsequently charged on 12 February 2020 and was convicted as above. Detective Sergeant Raymond Sekalongo, the investigating officer who was on the Central South’s Proactive Investigations team at the time, said: “Buafo was arrogant enough to think he was above the law and thought he could not only take a knife into a nightclub – but broadcast himself on social media doing it. "Buafo was wrong not to ‘care about the feds,’ because the Met is absolutely committed to taking offensive weapons and drugs off the streets of London. “The knife in the nightclub and the Rambo knife found in Buafo’s address is yet another example of the intractable link between drug supply and violence. Those carrying weapons and supplying drugs should expect a visit from us in the near future.” source
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Drug Driving Is Becoming More Common10/18/2020 Drug driving is now becoming a bigger and bigger problem in our society. As some people thinks its quite acceptable to take drugs this is now happening whilst people drive. This is where it starts to become totally unacceptable as drug driving is costing lives in road traffic accidents. Speak with our drug driving Solicitors.
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