West Essex: Seven arrested and three charged in organised crime investigation

Seven people have been arrested as part of an operation aimed at tackling the supply of Class A drugs in Loughton.

Four people were arrested early on Wednesday morning after officers from our serious and organised crime unit and operational support group executed warrants in west Essex and in London.

They were arrested on suspicion of drug offences and money laundering.

The strikes were part of an ongoing investigation into a group which we believe has been responsible for supplying about £600,000 worth of drugs in London and Essex.

Qasir Afzal, 40, of Howard Close, Waltham Abbey, Kailash Gunsaseelan, 21, of Buntingbridge Road, Ilford, and Ballayat Sayeed, 31, of Cowley Road, Ilford, have now been charged with conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs, money laundering and possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs.

They appeared in Colchester Magistrates’ Court on 15 December.

No pleas were entered, and the trio were remanded in custody to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on 12 January 2023.

A fourth person has been released on bail while enquiries continue.

On Friday 16 December, three people were also arrested in connection with the investigation.

They are currently being questioned on suspicion of drug offences and money laundering.

Detective Inspector Frazer Low, who is leading our investigation, said:

“This has been an in-depth investigation which has identified an organised crime group which we believe is responsible for supplying drugs onto the streets of Essex.
“Our teams work around the clock in order to disrupt and dismantle groups which we believe are causing the highest harm in our communities.”

Chief Inspector Tina Cooper, Epping Forest district commander, said:

“The enforcement action this week is the result of a great deal of work by officers who are specialists in their field. As a force, we work very closely with different teams in order to keep all our communities safe and that work goes on around the clock.
“Although we will never rest on our laurels, we believe this week’s enforcement is likely to have a significant impact on drug supply in our area.”