More

London Record Store Arrests: Police Run 'Hip Hop Cop Shop' Leads To 37 Convictions

First Posted: 09/13/11 01:52 PM ET   Updated: 11/12/11 05:12 AM ET

Time to face the music.

Thirty-seven London criminals could serve a combined 400 years in prison after a record store fronting as a crime haven turned out to be a police-run sting operation.

Regulars at the "Hip Hop Cop Shop," as it's been dubbed in local tabloids, sold guns, drugs, and stolen merchandise to undercover police officers during the 12 months that the store was in business. Some suspects are also accused of money laundering.

Police opened the store in North London, known as "Boombox," during March of 2008 following five local murders. On Friday, "Operation Peyzac" finally came to a close.

"Three undercover officers became experts on rap music to man the shop full-time," according to The Sun, which added that most customers simply shopped for music.

30 of the 37 arrested suspects are gang members, according to the UK's Metro.

Police also seized 21 firearms.

Operation Peyzac Photos
1  of  6
PLAY
FULLSCREEN
ZOOM
SHARE THIS SLIDE 
A General View of 93 Fore Street, Edmonton, London. This high street property was used by the police to set up a fake hiphop music store. Criminals and drug dealers were caught in an undercover sting after police officers posed as staff in a fake hip hop music shop. A total of 37 armed criminals and drug dealers, including 30 gang members, have been jailed for a total of more than 400 years following the 'sting' operation in the shop, called Boombox, in Edmonton, north London...Codenamed Operation Peyzac, the £500,000 operation involved undercover officers kitting out as a fully-operating rap and hip hop music store, with a private back room which was used to carry out deals with drug and gun sellers, and the store was wired with CCTV and recording equipment.
MORE SLIDESHOWS NEXT >   |   < PREV
RATE IT!   |  
VOTE
CURRENT TOP 5 PICK YOUR OWN TOP 5
USERS WHO VOTED
NEW! CREATE YOUR OWN SLIDESHOW

FOLLOW HUFFPOST CRIME

Time to face the music. Thirty-seven London criminals could serve a combined 400 years in prison after a record store fronting as a crime haven turned out to be a police-run sting operation. Reg...
Time to face the music. Thirty-seven London criminals could serve a combined 400 years in prison after a record store fronting as a crime haven turned out to be a police-run sting operation. Reg...
Filed by Steven Hoffer  | 
What's Your Reaction?
Amazing
 Inspiring
 Funny
 Scary
 Hot
 Crazy
 Important
 Weird

More in Crime...


 
 
  • Comments
  • 9
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
photo
edenooch
104 Fans
 
09:08 PM on 09/14/2011
they need to branch out to California
Permalink  |
Intelligentia
Anti-Racist
333 Fans
12:08 AM on 09/21/2011
Now they have eliminated some Hip Hop criminals, the same sting operation should be run on Wall Street to get rid of the financial criminals.
Permalink  |
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
bdoug25000
Bio? Nope, Mostly mechanical
292 Fans
09:16 AM on 09/14/2011
Pictures of guns. Seems kind of strange that the guns pictured were the illegal merchandize that was being sold. Guns like those pictured can be bought perfectly legally practically anywhere in the US.
Permalink  |
photo
No Longer Amused 25
309 Fans
12:35 AM on 09/14/2011
Entrapment. They'll all go scot free.
Permalink  |
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
Sunwyn Ravenwood
Farewell my friends, time to go...
982 Fans
05:20 AM on 09/14/2011
No it isn't.
Permalink  |
photo
No Longer Amused 25
309 Fans
12:50 PM on 09/14/2011
Yes it is.
Permalink  |
WHOGIVESADAMN pluh
20 Fans
09:28 PM on 09/13/2011
That is one store I would gladly shop at!!
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Annette Hammond
If only everybody knew
217 Fans
07:39 PM on 09/13/2011
There should be more of those stores EVERYWHERE!
Permalink  |