Three locals convicted for drugs and weapons possession

Three men from South London have been found guilty of drugs and firearms offences after police found them in possession of a sawn off shotgun and £1000 worth of crack cocaine and heroin.

Almost a year ago on November 19 2020, police noticed the occupants of a black BMW acting suspiciously on Rotherhithe New Road in Southwark, Lambeth.

Officers attempted to stop the car but its driver Kane Lamar, 25, sped off. Soon afterwards Mr Lamar stopped the car and was detained, while two passengers made off from the scene.

A foot chase through a nearby estate ensued, after which 20-year-old Enriquo Withers of Queenstown Road, Wandsworth was arrested in a front garden.

Two packages discarded by the suspects were found nearby with contents later confirmed to be ammunition and around £1000 worth of crack cocaine and heroin.

There was no trace of the second passenger, later identified as 25-year-old Jack Purfield of Southwark, Lambeth.

Police retraced the route taken by Purfield and Withers and found a black holdall in the corner of a courtyard which contained a sawn off shotgun, further ammunition and several pairs of rubber and latex gloves.

Following enquiries Purfield was arrested a number of days later.

Detective Constable Tim Tripp, from the Met's Violent Crime Taskforce, said: "We are always working to remove guns and other weapons from the streets of London and we are pleased that another deadly firearm has now been removed from circulation.

"Those who carry weapons should be in no doubt – we will use every tool at our disposal to protect our communities by prosecuting those intent on perpetrating serious violence."

On Monday, 25 October, all three appeared at Inner London Crown Court where they were convicted of two counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, possession of a shotgun without licence and two counts of possession of ammunition without licence.

They were remanded in custody pending sentencing on Friday, 17 December.

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