Eleven held over cocaine inquiry

About 100 officers raided homes in south, east and north London

Eleven people have been arrested in Britain over the alleged smuggling of £650m worth of cocaine.

The seven men and four women, all Colombian nationals, are said to be involved in the biggest cocaine cartel ever to operate in the UK.

National Crime Squad (NCS) officers conducted dawn raids at 13 addresses in London, Essex and Bedfordshire.

In September cocaine worth £55m was seized along with £1m in cash.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Molloy, leading the NCS investigation, said the arrests were a continuation of an operation in September.

That operation, codenamed Anuric, saw 12 people charged with money-laundering offences after a number of raids in London.

Half a tonne of cocaine, with a street value of more than £55m, five tonnes of cannabis worth £10m, and £1m in cash were also recovered.

More than 15 people were also arrested by Colombian police at the same time.

We think today¿s operations will rip the heart out of organised drug trafficking into the UK DCI Martin Molloy National Crime Squad

Thursday's operation, called Adage, included raids on a hairdressing salon, a money exchange and a clothing store which were alleged to be involved in money laundering.

Around 100 NCS officers took part in the raids, which took part simultaneously at 0430 GMT.

Mr Molloy said on Thursday: "We think today¿s operations will rip the heart out of organised drug trafficking into the UK.

"We believe those arrested this morning are key to drug importation into the UK through Europe.

'Evil business'

"Our intelligence suggests that they not only organised the wholesale importation of drugs but also recruited fellow Colombian nationals to launder the proceeds of their evil business."

All those arrested on Thursday are believed to be asylum seekers from Colombia.

Mr Molloy said most of the gang's trafficking proceeds were thought to have been laundered in the UK and sent back to Colombia.

Those arrested on Thursday include:

A man, aged 43, a woman, 39, arrested in Hendon, north London.

A man, 31, and a woman, 39, detained in Colindale, north London.

A woman, 44, arrested in Luton, Bedfordshire.

Two suspected illegal immigrants arrested in Finsbury Park, north London.

A man, 37, seized in Kentish Town, north London.

A man, 34, held in Tottenham, north London.

A man, 33, arrested in Rotherhithe, south-east London.

A man held in Holloway, north London.