A dozen people have been charged with more than 20 offences after an east London police operation.

The Hackney and Tower Hamlets operation is part of a wider investigation, Operation Continuum, formed in response to reports of drug dealing, drug use and associated criminality in Tower Hamlets and Hackney.

Detectives from the Central East area’s gangs taskforce executed warrants at 13 east London residential addresses yesterday (April 27) and arrested 15 people.

Twelve men from Tower Hamlets and Newham were charged with 21 offences. The group will appear at Thames Magistrates' Court on April 28.

The range of charges include conspiracy to and being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs such as crack cocaine, ketamine and cannabis.

Eleven of the 12 men come from Tower Hamlets.

They were named as Bobby Smith, 20, of Carron Close; Mohammed Uddin, 24, of Brokesley Street; Mohammed Alam, 23, of Ramsay Street; Oyes Lais, 20, of Knapp Road; Mohammed Miah, 24, of Broadlove Lane; Mohammed Alom, 24, of Marsh Wall; and Alomgir Hussain, 28, of Eagling Close.

Additionally, there was Zakariya Mohd, 21, of Williamsburg Plaza; Mohammed Ali, 21, of City Island Way; Shahadot Khan, 35, of Southern Grove; and Adil Miah, 20, of Newport Avenue.

Ismaeel Ahmed, 23, of Lucas Avenue, Newham, was charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition in addition to drugs charges.

Three men, one aged 30 and two aged 22, have been released under investigation pending further enquiries.