Police hit safes in organised crime raids

By Tim Castle

LONDON (Reuters) - Police seized thousands of safe deposit boxes from three vaults in central and north London on Monday after receiving intelligence they were used by criminals to store cash, guns and drugs.

Scotland Yard said officers raided vaults in Park Lane, Swiss Cottage and Edgware run by a privately run firm, Safe Deposit Centres.

Two people were arrested in the raids, which also included two other business premises and three private addresses in London and Hertfordshire.

Police sources said up to 90 percent of the boxes could contain the proceeds of crime and other illegal items such as child pornography.

The vaults are estimated to contain around 7,000 boxes, although it is unclear how many have been in use.

"We believe this police operation has the potential to simultaneously impact upon a large number of criminal networks, in London, nationally and globally," said Assistant Commissioner John Yates.

"Intelligence gathered over a protracted period has indicated that there are potential links at these businesses to organised crime such as paedophilia, firearms, drug trafficking, fraud, human trafficking, prostitution and money laundering."

Police will take the boxes away to a secure location. Any not claimed by their owners will be forced open and the contents investigated.