Six cannabis cafes have been shut down in an area of east London over the last three months. Over £600, 000 worth of Class B drugs have been seized as part of the Metropolitan Police’s ‘Operation Appetite’.
Local officers in Tower Hamlets closed down six cannabis cafes in the area between October and December 2024. Closure orders, arrests and investigations are ongoing to stop further cafes opening, say Tower Hamlets MPS.
“Over the last three months, six cannabis cafés have been shut down across Tower Hamlets by local officers,” a spokesperson for Tower Hamlets MPS posted to X.
“Closure orders, arrests & investigations are ongoing to stop further cafes opening, which have a negative impact on our local communities & lawful businesses.”
The closures form part of ‘Operation Appetite’ which has seen the seizure of £677, 200 worth of Class B drugs, £3, 800 of Class A drugs and £89, 000 of cash. It has also led to 13 arrests.
Five men were arrested after an alleged ‘cannabis café’ called Electric Pool was shut down in Bethnal Green in October. The raid resulted in a full Closure Order for three months which was supported by Tower Hamlets Council to prevent the building from being used for drugs in the future.
A council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service in October: “We work closely with the police to tackle drug supply and substance use in Tower Hamlets, which is one of our top priorities, as outlined in our new substance misuse strategy.
“Alongside significant investment into community safety, we utilise all our resources including regular patrols by council enforcement officers and our recently upgraded CCTV suite, where over 350 street-based cameras are monitored 24/7.”
They added: “We actively support criminal investigations through our information sharing arrangements, providing reassurance patrols, and helping get people into treatment and recovery services. The council has invested nearly £7million to help people overcome addiction and rebuild their lives.”
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