Terrifying moment cops are shot at by armed thug during dramatic raid of house London Journal

THIS is the terrifying moment cops are shot at by an armed thug as they raided a house.

The Metropolitan Police‘s Territorial Support Group officers stormed the property of Koby Haik, 31, in Southgate, North London, on April 5 last year.

Terrifying moment cops are shot at by armed thug during dramatic raid of house

Shots can be heard as a cop races up the stairs[/caption]

Police raided Koby Haik’s home on April 5 last year[/caption]

The suspect is detained[/caption]

Haik struggles as officers try to handcuff him[/caption]

Shocking video shows Haik standing at the top of the stairs armed with a baseball bat before he fired two shots from a gun as cops entered the address.

Officers arrested Haik and the recovered weapon was sent for ballistic analysis, which turned out to be an imitation containing blank rounds.

He was later linked to being part of drugs importation gang and has now been jailed for seven years at Isleworth Crown Court.

An investigation was launched after two women reported their suitcases and passports were stolen while waiting for a taxi on arrival in London on a flight from Los Angeles on January 11 last year.

Detectives carried out CCTV enquiries and traced the suspects – a man and woman – back to a car registered to Eleanar Attard, 45.

Just two days after the theft, officers attended her home in Broxbourne Herts., where they arrested Attard, along with her husband, Nicholas Panayiotou, 43.

When officers examined Panayiotou’s phone, they found evidence that the theft was part of a wider conspiracy to import and then steal a large amount of cannabis.

A WhatsApp group chat found by officers contained details of a plan to smuggle 58kgs of cannabis into the UK from the US.

Officers also found evidence of how the group plotted to steal the cannabis from the two women recruited to import it.

Panayiotou and his wife were to pose as customs officers and pretending to seize the suitcases and passports from the women soon after they arrived into the UK.

ANPR data gathered also showed Panayiotou and his wife travelled to a hotel and then on to their restaurant ‘A Touch of Greek’ both in Chingford after the theft.

Three videos found by detectives on Panayiotou’s phone also showed large quantities of cannabis.

Meta-data analysis showed the videos were taken the day after the theft of luggage took place and were filmed at the restaurant.

Extensive enquiries were made by officers to identify three other people on the WhatsApp group.

Constantinos Zavros, 34,was identified as being connected to those supplying the drugs in the US and officers found evidence he also travelled to the US. 

Luke Wileman, 32, was identified as advising the gang on how to sell the drugs and suggested suitable clothing for Panayiotou and Attard to wear in order to pose as customs officers.

IMPORT & SUPPLY OF CANNABIS

Zavros, of Southgate, and Haik were both convicted of conspiracy to import cannabis, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to steal.

Haik was also convicted of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Wileman, of Horsham. and Panayiotou, of Broxbourne, were both convicted of conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to steal.

Zavros was jailed for six years and 11 months.

Haik was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment and Panayiotou was caged for four years and one month.

Wileman is due to be sentenced at the same court on May 9.

Attard, of Broxbourne. was charged with theft of suitcases and passports and was jailed for eight months.

Detective Chief Inspector Inderjit Kaur said: “This investigation highlights some fantastic detective work by Met Police officers to identify and uncover a dangerous group involved in drugs importation and supply, which we know can have a terrible effect on local communities.

“We also saw incredible bravery and professionalism from TSG officers who were shot at as they arrested one of the suspects.

“Thankfully, only blanks were fired, but thanks to this investigation, a dangerous weapon is off the streets and a group of dangerous criminals are now behind bars.”