COPS seized stolen bikes, a stash of pornographic DVDs and thousands of illegally imported cigarettes when they cracked down on unlawful trading in Brick Lane on Sunday. Three people were arrested for handling stolen goods and another three people are in

COPS seized stolen bikes, a stash of pornographic DVDs and thousands of illegally imported cigarettes when they cracked down on unlawful trading in Brick Lane on Sunday.

Three people were arrested for handling stolen goods and another three people are in the process of being prosecuted for illegal market trading as a result of the operation which involved police from Tower Hamlets and Hackney and council officials.

Teams of cops and council workers patrolled the streets in plain clothes and uniform and staff at Tower Hamlets council's CCTV control room helped identify people involved in selling stolen bicycles.

Several mobile phones and around 3,000 cigarettes and 23 pouches of tobacco were seized along with the 10 bikes, which police believe are stolen. Officers also found 143 pornographic DVDs dumped in Sclater Street.

Tower Hamlets council's community safety leader Cllr Abdal Ullah said: "We will crackdown so anyone planning on selling bikes illegally in Tower Hamlets should be aware that we are ready to stop them.