Police arrest 72 in Carnival crime campaign

Police have arrested 72 people in an attempt to stop crime and disorder marring the Notting Hill Carnival in west London this weekend.

Police have arrested 72 people in an attempt to stop crime and disorder marring the Notting Hill Carnival in west London this weekend.

Officers at Notting Hill station made the arrests over the past two weeks for drugs, fraud and motor vehicle offences as part of Operation Acamar.

The arrests came after high-profile police patrols checked known crime spots and local Tube stations. Two crack houses have been closed.

Chief Inspector Jeremy Blood, who has overseen the operation, said he wanted to send out a strong message before the start of the carnival. "We have had real success so far, and the work goes on. We want to reassure the local community that we are striving to tackle the issues that they are concerned about, and taking the people responsible for the crime off the streets.''

Police also warned potential troublemakers to stay away and said that anyone causing trouble would "not be tolerated''.

Europe's largest arts festival kicks off at 11am tomorrow with Children's Day, and finishes at 7pm on Monday. The carnival route and the surrounding area will be covered by 57 closed-circuit cameras. Carnival-goers are advised to avoid the most crowded areas and not to carry too much money.