Five Met officers taken off duty after weapons find

Five Met Officers Removed from Duty Following Weapon Discovery

A bag containing firearms and a Taser was found on a London street, prompting the Metropolitan Police to temporarily remove five officers from their frontline roles, the force confirmed. The item, located outside the residence of London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, was reported by a member of the public on Tuesday evening. The Sun noted the discovery.

According to the police, the bag was likely misplaced by officers on duty shortly before the public stumbled upon it. The Directorate of Professional Standards is currently investigating the incident. Inside the bag were a sub-machine gun, a pistol, and ammunition, along with the Taser, as per available reports.

“We received a call at approximately 9:40pm from a member of the public who found a bag with Met-issued firearms and a Taser on a south London street. Officers arrived within seven minutes and secured the items safely,” the police stated.

A passerby who witnessed the event described how he noticed the bag on the roadside and became suspicious. After inspecting its contents, he documented the items before contacting the authorities. “The officers were visibly surprised when they arrived. They examined the bag thoroughly and swiftly removed the weapons,” he recounted to the Sun.

“The Met must now take all steps to ensure an incident like this never occurs again,” said a spokesperson for Sir Sadiq Khan, who described the situation as serious.

Earlier in 2017, Sir Sadiq had agreed to a full-time police presence, which includes 24-hour protection, after concerns about security around his home led him to reconsider his stance.