A “hugely successful” police operation tackling gang violence and drug dealing in Hackney has led to 35 arrests since January.

Operation Ballymore was set up following a rise in gang-related violence linked to drugs. All but eight of the people arrested have since been charged, and nine have been convicted.

The latest arrests came during dawn raids at nine properties in Stoke Newington yesterday. Three people were held on suspicion of drug possession and supply and possession of criminal property.

Drugs, knives and more than £4,000 in cash was seized in the operation, which was led by Hackney’s gangs unit.

On Wednesday last week 20 homes were raided and 14 people were arrested.

Ten men, two women and two boys aged between 17-50 were arrested on suspicion of drug and money laundering offences and £40,000 was seized along with half a kilo of class A drugs.

Nine of those have now been charged with drug offences and appeared in court. The other five have been released under investigation.

On Wednesday this week 11 more raids took place in Stoke Newington and Manor House.

Five people were arrested on suspicion of drugs, money laundering, robbery and breach of court order offences. They have been charged and were set to appear at Thames Magistrates Court yesterday.

Nine of the 35 arrested since January have been convicted, mainly of drug offences. Five have been jailed for between three and five years.

Det Insp Matt Webb from Hackney gangs unit said: “This has been a hugely successful operation with a huge number of arrests.

“The aim of this operation was to disrupt the network of suspects involved in drug-dealing and associated violence in Hackney borough, and I believe we have done that.

“People involved in serious criminality should know that the Met have a wide range of policing tactics, both overt and covert, at our disposal and we will pursue offenders who we suspect of dealing drugs, being involved in violence and bringing misery to the communities they have a presence in.

“This operation shows our ongoing commitment to making our streets safer by investigating and targeting people involved in gang-related violence and criminal activity which harms communities.”