A series of police raids in the capital have struck a 'massive blow' to a notorious and violent gang, with a Skorpion machine gun, ammunition, cash and suspected class A drugs seized.

Some 200 officers smashed in doors across west London overnight, arresting nine people, including some believed to be senior figures in the lucrative crack cocaine and heroin-dealing outfit, Scotland Yard said.

An alleged drug-running boy, aged 14, arrested at his family home, was among those detained in eight raids in the Northolt, Greenford, Fulham and Brentford areas.

The arrests were connected to the established 'MDP' gang, police said, which has been linked with several murders.

The police raids are likely in response to the recent uptick in fatal stabbings and gang violence in London, which has caused massive outcry from the public for change.

Some 200 officers smashed in doors across west London overnight, arresting nine people, including some believed to be senior figures in the lucrative crack cocaine and heroin-dealing gang MDP, Scotland Yard said

During the raid, police found this Skorpion machine gun, along with ammunition

Officials also seized 2kg of crack cocaine (pictured) and £50,000 in cash

THE NOTORIOUS AND VIOLENT GANG MDP MDP is a notorious at least 100-strong gang that terrorises the streets of west London. Their name stands for 'Money, Drugs, Power' or 'Murder Dem P*****s'. The well-established group has been linked with several murders, knife crimes and shootings over the years. The gang reps the colour blue, wearing blue bandannas, opposing rival gangs in the area. They deal with class A drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin. They have been known to have members as young as 12 years old in the group. MDP are thought to have used children to run drugs on the streets. They also are believed to had a drug house in Earls Court and drugs were advertised with a phone line. MDP was established in response to the growing presence of gangs in Shepherd's Bush and White City. Advertisement

Those detained were held over offences such as conspiracy to supply drugs and possession of firearms.

At a house in Dorchester Close, Northolt, young children could be heard crying as dozens of officers flooded inside shouting: 'Police'.

Elsewhere, as a police squad crept up to one seemingly empty address in Stephendale Road, Fulham, officers noticed a 30-year-old suspect sitting in a car.

During a search officers found a Skorpion machine pistol along with another handgun, 40 rounds of ammunition, and a kilo of suspected class A drugs, Scotland Yard said.

In Brentford, a woman, 34, was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, as well as a 33-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

In Earls Court a 49-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Detective Inspector Driss Hayoukane said: 'This is a massive blow to an established gang.

'What we've taken out is probably a line which has been supplying the Earl's Court and Fulham areas. This gang have been running that line for quite a while and making a lot of money.

'These gangs have corrupted children and are using them to ferry drugs.

'If you look across London these are the kids that are getting involved in violence and stabbings because they are generally on the streets while the suppliers are removed from it, collecting the cash.'

The arrests were connected to the established 'MDP' gang, police said, which has been linked with several murders. Pictured: Officers at a flat in Northolt during the raids

The police raids are likely in response to the recent uptick in fatal stabbings and gang violence in London, which has caused massive outcries from the public for changes

Those detained were held over offences such as conspiracy to supply drugs and possession of firearms. Overall, six males and three females, aged between 14 and 49, were arrested

Key gangsters drove flashy cars and showed off their wealth online with luxury holidays to places like Dubai, he added.

One address in Earl's Court had been 'cuckooed', which happens when criminals take over a vulnerable person's or drug addict's flat to sell drugs from it - named after the parasitic practice of the cuckoo bird which lays its eggs in other birds' nests.

Overall, six males and three females, aged between 14 and 49, were arrested in the early hours of Thursday and are now in custody.

The operation was the result of about six months of planning by the Met's anti-gang Trident unit.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the suspects had been causing 'devastation' and 'fear' in communities

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick had been on patrol in Hackney, inner London, on Wednesday evening, where she said gang tensions were high after a spate of stabbings in recent weeks, including the killing of 18-year-old Israel Ogunsola.

Speaking to reporters shortly before the raids, she said the suspects had been causing 'devastation' and 'fear' in communities.

She said: 'They are very violent, several of them have a history of serious violence, at least one is suspected of regularly using a firearm.

'They will be arrested - not only have they been, as it appears to us, supplying crack cocaine and heroin, they've been making a huge amount of money.

'They've been exploiting vulnerable people and very young people have been engaged in the drug-dealing operation. So they need to be locked up.'

She added: 'When I arrived just over a year ago we've been stepping up our anti-violence operations, we've been learning along the way.

'In the last two weeks or so, and in particular since last weekend, we've been doing more and more. The Met is working very hard.'

Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey said on LBC Radio on Thursday morning: 'Violent crime in all its forms is our priority. Officers are out there working tirelessly to keep Londoners safe.

'That awful spike [recent murders in London] is where we’ve put an awful lot of work in.'

Asked if raids had been stepped up following a recent rise in violent crime in London, DI Hayoukane said: 'It's business as usual for us, our unit works to capacity all the time.'

Since the start of the year, there have been more than 50 suspected murders in London.