Several suspects wearing balaclavas and falsely disguised in UPS uniforms are said to have exited a vehicle in Clerkenwell Road, near Farringdon, on November 24 last year after following a UPS van which left a local depot.
It is alleged they held the UPS courier at knife point and forced him into the back of his van while they stole it and drove the vehicle to another area.
They unloaded all parcels labelled for Hatton Green before fleeing in multiple vehicles.
Officers used CCTV to figure out that suspects drove to a residential address in Hackney, where they stored the stolen items.
Further enquiries showed that the suspects returned a few hours later in different vehicles to cleanse themselves before retrieving the stolen property.
A total of seven suspects were identified for various roles in the heist.
On Thursday (January 15), 12 warrants were carried across London and the home counties, with drugs and large quantities of drugs seized.
While in custody, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges for conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnap, possession with the intent to supply Class A and B drugs and possession of Class A drugs.
Those charged have not been named by the Metropolitan Police, but this paper has contacted the force for further details.
All were remanded in custody to appear in Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Friday (January 16).
