Armed officers storm London flats in dramatic raids as four men and one woman are arrested over 'kidnapping' by counter terror officers

  • Flats were stormed by armed officers in dramatic raids in London on Monday  
  • Four men and one woman arrested after the Westminster homes were searched
  • One man was held at gunpoint by the officers who marched him towards a car waiting for them on the Peabody Estate at around 3pm 

By Zoie O'brien For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Heavily armed counter terror officers aimed guns at five people in London as they marched them out of a block of flats in a dramatic raid, today.

Firearms officers in stab-proof vests had their faces covered as they stormed homes in St Matthew Street on the Peabody Estate in Westminster at around 3pm.

Five people, four men and one woman, were arrested on suspicion of kidnap during the raids in central London. 

A man was brought out form the flats on St Matthew Street in Westminster, central London

A man was brought out form the flats on St Matthew Street in Westminster, central London

Stunned residents looked on as some of the most highly trained officers in London raided homes on the estate

Stunned residents looked on as some of the most highly trained officers in London raided homes on the estate

The operation was carried out by counter-terrorism specialist firearms officers, some of the most highly trained in the country, but Scotland Yard stressed the investigation was not terror-related. 

No shots were fired during the arrests although officers carried guns including pistols and what appeared to be the semi-automatic SIG MCX. 

Officers wore stab-proof vests and had their faces covered as they ran into the flats and executed warrants 

Officers wore stab-proof vests and had their faces covered as they ran into the flats and executed warrants 

The officers surrounded the buildings in the flats in Westminster. Police said the arrests were not terror related 

The officers surrounded the buildings in the flats in Westminster. Police said the arrests were not terror related 

Police later confirmed the people arrested were being detained in central London over a suspected kidnapping related offence

Police later confirmed the people arrested were being detained in central London over a suspected kidnapping related offence

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