Three men have been arrested after police seized 450 bottles of nitrous oxide in south west London.
The arrests were made last Friday night (September 25) after plain-clothes officers on patrol near Kingston town centre spotted a van believed to be storing the gas for distribution during nights out.
A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of the nitrous oxide bottles and a significant amount of cash.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "The illegal supply and misuse of nitrous oxide can have serious consequences for our town.
"Disputes between sellers can spill into violence, while using the substance can cause serious medical problems.
"Discarded containers and intoxicated behaviour can also contribute to anti-social behaviour in public spaces."
READ MORE
- The London Marathon is changing in 2027 - here's how Saturday and Sunday compare
- First look at the new Piccadilly line trains that will transform Tube journeys
- This pink London house that took 10 years to build has appeared on Grand Designs
The three men remain under investigation.
Nitrous oxide is classified as a Class C controlled drug.
Possession for wrongful inhalation and supplying it for that purpose are criminal offences.
The spokesperson said: "Across London we’ve put hundreds more officers on the frontlines of community crime-fighting teams, upping visible patrols in the right ‘hot spots’ so we can deter and catch criminals – including with new tech like live facial recognition cameras, drones and e-bikes."
Share