Barnet: Thirteen early evening drinkers were arrested on drugs charges after 100 police stormed a Barnet pub on Friday night.

Officers described the Green Man Pub in St Albans Road as a notorious place for buying and selling cocaine and heroine. They raided the pub at 9pm aided by sniffer dogs and arrested the people on a variety of charges relating to the supply and possession of drugs at the pub.

Detective Inspector Richard Henson, who led Operation Smoothflow, said: "This pub has become notorious as a premises in which class A drugs such as cocaine were being sold and used. The Metropolitan Police are committed to acting against those who deal in hard drugs.

"We will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs in licensed premises in Barnet. On this occasion we have acted decisively on information received and developed this into evidence."

The raid will come as a massive blow to owners of the pub, McMullen, which prides itself on its friendly and family atmosphere.

A spokesman for the Hertfordshire-based brewery was unable to comment at the time of going to press.

One man was arrested and charged with five counts of supplying cocaine and will appear before Hendon Magistrates Court today.

Six other people are on police bail while similar supply offences are investigated and an additional six were bailed after being arrested for possession of class A and B drugs.

November 29, 2001 13:30