Eleven police officers injured by ‘corrosive substance’ during drugs raid

Men arrested on suspicion of drug offences also taken to hospital with injuries

Ten police officers were injured by a corrosive substance during a drugs raid in Dale Close, Barnet (Google Street View)

Eleven police officers have been injured by a suspected corrosive substance during a drugs raid in north London.

All the officers were taken to hospital for treatment after being hurt while executing a drugs warrant at an industrial area in Barnet on Wednesday afternoon.

The Metropolitan Police said “a number of males” were arrested on suspicion of drug offences and were also taken to hospital after being injured by the substance.

Neither the officers nor the suspects are thought to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

Scotland Yard said officers had attended an industrial area in Dale Close at 1.50pm as part of an ongoing investigation.

“As they executed the warrant, officers were injured by a suspected corrosive substance,” a force spokesperson said.

 “Full enquiries into the exact circumstances continue” and officers are working to inform the families of those hurt, police added.

London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade were also called to the scene.

“The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards have been informed as is routine,” a police spokesperson said.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said he was “shocked” to learn of the officers’ injuries, which he added were a “stark reminder of the real dangers our hardworking officers face every day as they keep us safe”. 

“On behalf of all Londoners, I wish them a speedy recovery,” he said.