A fourth man has been charged following a large-scale Metropolitan Police operation that executed warrants at 24 addresses in London and four counties. Andreas Nicolas, 64, of Duxford, Cambridgeshire, faces two charges under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968: possession of a firearm, namely a revolver, and possession of a weapon to discharge a noxious thing, namely electricity.
Police say he was remanded in custody and was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 1 October. The charges follow his re-arrest after searches connected with the same operation. The allegations have not been proved in court.
Charges followed property searches
Police state that Nicolas was first arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, 29 September, during coordinated action targeting a suspected organised crime group. He was bailed that evening while searches continued. Officers then re-arrested him on Wednesday after weapons suspected to belong to him were found during property searches linked to the operation.
The Met says Nicolas is the fourth person to be charged following Tuesday’s arrests. He also remains under investigation as part of the wider inquiry, alongside others detained during the operation. Proceedings are active, and the court will consider the allegations in due course.
Operation involved 24 warrants and more than 800 officers
The operation, mounted on 29 September, involved warrants at 24 addresses and resulted in 17 arrests that morning, with a further arrest later the same day. Police deployed more than 800 officers for the activity, which covered London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
HM Revenue & Customs and the Financial Conduct Authority took part alongside the Met. Police described the action as targeting a suspected organised crime group. Searches continued after the arrests, and police say the later discovery of weapons suspected to be connected to Nicolas led to his re-arrest and the two firearms-related charges now before the court.
Three other men have been charged
Police have also charged three other men in connection with the same enforcement activity. Charles Charalambous, 56, of Cockfosters, has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to resist arrest. The charge relates to an incident during the execution of a warrant in which police say an officer was stabbed. Charalambous appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 30 September, and was remanded in custody to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, 29 October.
Carl Robinson, 49, of Stanford Rivers, Essex, has been charged with possession of offensive weapons in a private place, namely three knives. His case was adjourned for discussion of a legal matter, and he was bailed to appear again at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 1 October.
Bradley Byford, 37, of Spellbrook Lane East, Bishop’s Stortford, has been charged with possession of a weapon to discharge a noxious thing, namely electricity. He was bailed to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, 29 October.
Active proceedings
All four men who have been charged remain under investigation as part of the wider operation. The other 14 people arrested on Tuesday also remain under investigation, according to police.
Police have emphasised that proceedings are active in all cases from the point of arrest and that care is needed to avoid prejudicing future hearings. No court has made findings on the allegations. The next listed appearances include Nicolas and Robinson at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 1 October, and later Crown Court dates for Charalambous and Byford.
