Harlow: Two arrests as handgun seized alongside drugs and cash

Two men have been charged with drug supply offences after officers seized a blank-firing handgun, cocaine, cash and cannabis.

On Wednesday 22 January, our Operation Raptor team worked alongside Harlow Local Policing Team to respond to reports of a firearm being seen in an address in Harlow.

After officers arrived, a man attempted to flee the scene in a vehicle.

Two officers gave chase, stopped the car and searched the driver. This uncovered 28 bags of cocaine.

A search of the address recovered the handgun, further bags of cocaine, a four-figure sum of cash and a large quantity of cannabis.

Euron Hoxha, 18, of Trowbridge, in Wiltshire, and Can Bilgili, 20, of Enfield, in Middlesex, were charged with possession with intent to supply controlled drugs of Class A and B, as well as possession of criminal property.

They appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 24 January, where they were remanded in custody until a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday 21 February.

Work across several teams

Detective Inspector Richard Trower, of Op Raptor, said:

“This was a good example of coordination between our teams, working to tackle drug supply and reports of weapons seen in Harlow.
“After a substantial amount of further work, charges were secured against two men, who have been remanded in prison.
“We’re working hard to disrupt criminal activity across Harlow.
“Action like this proves we will respond and listen to reports of this nature and I would urge the community to feel confident in reporting any suspicious activity to us.”

What you know could be the missing puzzle piece we’re looking for.

We know that information held by our communities can help us to keep people safe and catch criminals.

We also know that our communities need to trust that we will listen to them and take action when we need to.

Our Police Intelligence page explains what happens when you tell us something you've seen or heard. It explains what to expect and what we need to know when you give us information. 

If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right or causes you concern, we want you to tell us about it.

Are you worried that a friend or someone you know may be being exploited through County Lines or organised criminal activity?

Maybe they are returning home late, staying out all night or even going missing for days or weeks at a time.

Are they suddenly being secretive about who they are talking to or where they are going?

Or perhaps you’ve noticed they have large amounts of money on them, or new clothing, jewellery or phones they wouldn’t be able to afford.

Through Fearless, young people can pass on information 100% anonymously to get help.

If you need help from police, call 101 or, if it's an emergency, always call 999.