Gangland London: See how Met Police crushes illegal guns like Dirty Harry-style Magnum and AK-47s

The Met Police has seized fourteen guns, including AK-47s, a shotgun and a Dirty Harry-style Magnum, a week after launching a crackdown on gun crime. Starting on Monday (11 April), the Met's anti-gang unit – Trident and Area Crime Command – launched operation Kestrel 2 to tackle criminals who carry or hide guns.

Since then officers have already made 30 arrests and seized 14 firearms from 70 operations, including eight handguns and three AK-47s. Arrests have been made for a variety of offences associated with gun crime including attempted murder, assault and drug offences.

Officers from across the capital are carrying out weapons sweeps, intelligence-led operations, search warrants and directed patrols by Armed Response Vehicles and Trident officers. They are using intelligence and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) technology to stop cars believed to be associated with firearms.

Units including SCO19 armed officers, the Territorial Support Group, Organised Crime Command, traffic officers, search dogs and local police with knowledge of local criminals are all assisting with the effort.

Detective Superintendent Damian Allain, from the Trident and Area Crime Command, said: "Gun crime in London is low in comparison with other world cities, but we are determined to bring it down yet further. Obtaining a gun is relatively difficult to do, but we are not complacent.

"Trident is continuing to have success targeting and prosecuting those who convert or manufacture guns. Possessing a firearm in the UK carries a mandatory five-year prison sentence and criminals know this, which means they often coerce others to store the guns for them and we will always go after these individuals too.

"Individuals prepared to carry guns are a menace to our communities. Guns cause fear, injury and death and we are committed to disrupting their supply and deterring anyone from getting involved in gun crime."