A large police operation involving armed officers and the Territorial Support Group (TSG) has caused significant disruption in Dagenham, with residents reporting being prevented from returning to their homes. Residents reported a heavy police presence around Cannington Road, while nearby Rusper Road was also said to have been cordoned off. One local said a relative had been unable to access her home because armed officers were restricting entry along Cannington Road. Pictures shared from the area appeared to show a substantial emergency services response, while one witness reported seeing armed police and TSG officers at the scene.
Residents report people detained
One person who said they work at a nearby school claimed they had seen as many as 10 people in handcuffs and described the incident as a raid on a property. There have also been numerous claims circulating locally about the reason for the operation, including suggestions of a stabbing, drugs, firearms and other serious offences. However, none of those claims has yet been officially confirmed, and some of the accounts circulating on social media directly contradict each other. One contributor who initially suggested a stabbing later said it was not a stabbing. 
Other particularly serious claims circulating online — including suggestions that firearms or a body had been discovered — remain unverified and should not be treated as established fact. The person making one of those claims explicitly described it as hearsay. Residents reported being unable to access properties while the operation continued, with others questioning when the roads would reopen. UKNIP has approached the Metropolitan Police for confirmation of the circumstances surrounding the operation and details of any arrests. This is a developing incident and will be updated when further information is available.
Originally published by UKNIP.
