Trio charged over temple drugs raid

12 April 2012

Three people have been charged with conspiracy to supply class C drugs following a raid on a Rastafarian temple, police said.

One of the three was also charged with two counts of possession of bullets after armed officers raided the temple in St Agnes Place, Kennington, south London, in the early hours of Thursday morning.

It is alleged the temple was being used as a drugs "market", with several kilos of cannabis, crack cocaine and ammunition discovered at the site.

Fitzroy Pommel, 48, Jahlaw Salassie, 40, and 45-year-old Roderick Green will appear at Camberwell Green magistrates' court on Saturday morning charged with conspiracy to supply class C drugs.

Pommel is also facing charges of possession of 9mm and 0.45mm bullets.

A total of 23 people were arrested in the raid, which occurred at 3am on Thursday morning, after weeks of 24-hour surveillance by police.

Officers were alerted by temple managers who said it had been taken over by a small number of drug dealers.

Police said the current search could take up to three days.

Scotland Yard said four of those held have been cautioned for possession of cannabis, and three have been released. One remains in custody over immigration matters, as do two others arrested.

A further 11 have been bailed to return pending further inquiries, while three were released without charge, police said.

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