HUNDREDS of guns have been recovered in Kent in one of the country's largest ever weapons seizures.

Police officers raided three addresses in the Dartford area on Wednesday as part of a along-running investigation into shootings in north London.

At one address, close to Dartford town centre, a 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of supplying firearms and taken to a police station in North London for questioning in an unmarked police car.

As he left the premises in an unmarked police car, he was dressed in a burgundy T-shirt and flanked by detectives. His head and face were covered by a blue towel.

One other residential and one business property, said to be in the Greater London area, were also raided in Operation Mokpo, an offshoot of Operation Trident, and part of an investigation into a spate of shootings in North London 18 months ago.

Det Ch Supt Kevin Davis said: “This is probably the biggest seizure of firearms since Operation Trident began. We have found literally hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

“These include pump action shotguns and automatic and semi-automatic weapons. The operation passed off successfully and peacefully and was calmly undertaken by officers.”

The raids involved 30 officers from the Metropolitan Police.

Detectives in this country say law enforcement agencies in America have carried out linked raids in New Jersey.

SEE NEXT WEEK’S DARTFORD MESSENGER FOR FULL COVERAGE