Holloway kebab shop raid: 50 riot police storm tiny takeaway and off-licence

The kebab shop seconds before it was raided by riot police (Image: Archant)

The astonishing raid took place at Best Kebab House and Hornsey Supermarket during rush-hour on Tuesday last week.

At 5.42pm it was business as usual, with a couple of diners sat eating and a man buying a kebab. But seconds later dozens of officers streamed into the takeaway and shop as part of a huge, intelligence-led police operation.

Owner Cesur Demirkiran, 24, said he, his dad, his brother and fiancee were all handcuffed and made to sit on benches outside for hours before being released.

Speaking to the Gazette he said his business had suffered by 45 per cent in the week since.

“I have never seen anything like it,” he said. “I was thinking: ‘These are here to kill me.’ They were saying ‘this is our day’ and put us outside to humiliate us in front of thousands of people on a busy junction.

“This is a family run business, my dad has owned the property for 30 years. Now people won’t come in because they don’t know what happened. Children would come in here to get milk for their parents but now they don’t.

“Even some of the officers were saying they’d never seen a raid like this in 15 years.”

Scotland Yard said police had four warrants to search five neighbouring premises. They took cash and jewellery which has now been returned, as well as suspected drugs and a stolen motorbike. Three people were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and bailed.

Det Supt Stuart Ryan said: “The reason for the number of officers involved was the risk assessment prior to attending had indicated there could be a risk on attendance.”

The investigation continues.