Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 Author: Simeon Tegel Source: The Scotsman Website: http://www.scotsman.com Contact: POLICE SMASH HUGE HEROIN RACKET POLICE said yesterday they had smashed a gang believed to be involved in importing a huge amount of heroin in to Britain. The gang is believed to have helped dump up to 100kg of the deadly drug, worth 20 million, onto streets across the country each week. The heroin, from Turkey, passed through what officers described as a "clearing house" in north London before being distributed to smaller dealers. The gang, including a number of Turkish nationals, is believed to have used the large local Turkish community as cover for its activities. Last night, officers recovered more than 10kg of heroin worth 2 million in the latest swoop in north London - the second of two such seizures in the past week. But far more significant than the amount of drugs recovered were the arrests in the two operations. Detective Chief Inspector Jon Shatford, heading the operation, said the raids would severely disrupt the flow into the UK of heroin, the most widely used hard drug. Mr Shatford said: It is difficult to imagine a more significant seizure. We are all very pleased. The swoops follow a year-long undercover operation by the Metropolitan Police's north-east area drugs squad probing Turkish traffickers. Detectives say they are not finished yet and expect more arrests in the near future. "We are still hunting more people from this gang. They are now like rats trying to jump off a sinking ship, trying to escape us," said Mr Shatford. Last Thursday, the operation's commanders ordered raids on homes in north and east London which resulted in the arrests of 14 men. In that first swoop, about 2.5 million worth of heroin and cocaine - some 15kg of drugs - were recovered along with cash and firearms. Yesterday, eight Turkish nationals appeared at Enfield magistrates' court charged with conspiracy to supply 15kg of heroin and cocaine. Meanwhile, a 40-year-old Turkish man who was also arrested during Saturday's raid was being questioned at a north London police station. Mr Shatford added: "This is a major coup for us. We are confident that we have smashed a national network of traffickers with tentacles abroad in Turkey. "Our operation has concentrated on a major Turkish criminal network which we believe has been operating in north London as a clearing centre for the supply of drugs around the country." Police said later that 100,000 in cash was also found during the swoop. The gang formed a crucial link in the chain which transported the heroin from Turkey to the streets of Britain. However, its break-up is expected to temporarily disrupt rather than permanently halt the flow of the drug into Britain while the chain reforms itself.