A loaded shotgun was found in Romford during raids to crack down on drug dealers.

The raids on Thursday were part of Met Police’s London-wide Operation Hawk aimed at stamping out street-level drug dealers.

It saw cannabis with a street value of more than �2,600,000 seized across the capital with more than 350 arrests.

In Havering there were 11 raids and 11 arrests were made, for the possession of cannabis, cultivation of cannabis, abstracting electricity, and the possession of firearms.

Police said officers from Operation Trident recovered a handgun and shotgun from Collier Row Lane, Collier Row and two men were arrested for the possession of firearms.

The day of action on Thursday was led by safer neighbourhood teams, and supported by officers from Trident, the specialist drugs command, the Mounted Branch, Territorial Support Group, Marine Policing Unit, special constables and volunteer police cadets.

It followed a renewed call to the public last week to encourage them to come forward with information about who may be selling or cultivating drugs in their area.

Commander Mak Chishty, MPS operational lead for Operation Hawk, said: “This has been an enormously successful day of action- but isn’t confined to just one day of activity - this is a renewed emphasis on local policing teams tackling street level drug dealing and associated crime using local community intelligence and a wide range of tactics and assorted activities.

“With your help we can make your local neighbourhood safer. You make the call, we’ll make it stop.”

Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or 101; or in an emergency 999.