Local Drug dealing / Drug use Message

Local Drug dealing / Drug use Message

Here’s a quick update on drugs dealing crime in your area, please be reassured that we’re taking this seriously and are here to help.

Officers from Cluster 2 Safer Neighbourhood Teams, covering Whitechapel, Shadwell and Wapping, conducted proactive patrols on Saturday 12th September 2026 as part of ongoing efforts to tackle drug-related crime and anti-social behaviour across the area.

During patrols in Shadwell, officers stopped and searched a male under police powers. He was found to be in possession of a quantity of controlled substances believed to be consistent with the supply of drugs and was subsequently arrested.

Following enquiries linked to this arrest, officers stopped a second male nearby. He was arrested after being found in possession of cash exceeding £15,000, suspected to be connected to criminal activity.

Both males remain subject to ongoing police enquiries.

These arrests demonstrate our continued commitment to targeting those involved in drug supply and related criminality, helping to keep our communities safe. We encourage residents to continue reporting concerns and suspicious activity to police, as information from the public plays a vital role in tackling crime across our neighbourhoods.

Drug dealing is often linked with violent crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people, and discarded drug equipment can be a health risk and counts as antisocial behaviour.  

We’ve put hundreds more officers on the frontlines of community crime-fighting teams, upping visible patrols in the right ‘hot spots’ so we can deter and catch criminals.

We are committed to tackling drug dealing wherever we find it. It forms a key part of our recently published ASB Action Plan. We will keep you updated on our efforts to do this in your area, but if you have any concerns or evidence, it is important you report this as soon as possible.  

If you have experienced drug dealing in your area, please report it using our online reporting tools at https://www.met.police.uk or call the non-emergency number 101. 

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org