Smallfield siege: Three arrested after police stand-off but no 'gunman' found

Jamie Bullen28 July 2016

Three people have been arrested after a drugs raid in a Surrey village turned into an armed police stand-off with a suspected gunman.

A woman in her 40s is being held on suspicion of drug-related offences and two men - one in his 20s and a teenager - were detained for allegedly obstructing police.

Police initially thought there was an armed man holed up in the property but following an extensive search no one was found.

Surrey police swooped in on the village home in Careys Wood, Smallfield at about 6am on Thursday.

Armed response: Police at the scene in Surrey 
Steve Parsons/PA

Surrounding roads were cordoned off and a helicopter scrambled when a man was spotted with what is believed to be a gun inside the house.

Neighbours were told to stay inside their homes while others were stuck outside the police cordon for hours when they tried to return.

Firearms were seized at the property and Surrey Police named 57-year-old Paul Hodge as being wanted on suspicion of drugs and firearms offences.

They asked the public to call police urgently if they spot him.

Paramedics were on standby outside the police cordon as armed officers stood by the property. Locals also reported seeing a drone being sent up.

A local businessman who lives nearby told the Standard he was woken up by the sound of helicopters circling above his home.

He said: "I left my home at about 8.30am and I saw police coming up the road and a blacked-out people carrier at the end of Careys Wood.

Raid: Police executed a drugs warrant at 6am this morning(Steve Parsons/PA )
Steve Parsons/PA

"I wondered if people were targeting several locations judged by the amount of police cars but then I heard about the siege.

"I was a bit shocked to see that in Smallfield."

Captain of the Smallfield Manor cricket club, Keith Howard-Smith, said: "The helicopter was up from about 7.30am until 11am just hovering above one site in the village.

"People were advised to stay indoors. At around 12pm the helicopter came back and swept the village again.

"It was a pretty unusual sight for Smallfield."

While another man said: "I've seen about four or five police vehicles go past my house and heard helicopters over head. We've had all sorts."

Emergency response: A police officer with a dog at the scene (Steve Parsons/PA )
Steve Parsons/PA

One resident said the man who lives at the property at the centre of the raid was "well known" in the neighbourhood.

She said: "This village is not what it used to be. We have had cars damaged and tyres slashed.

"Young kids shoot out people's windows for fun and they don't realise it's us that has to pay the damage.

"Enough is enough."

Shortly before 4pm police said they had "stepped down" their response in Smallfield.

Raids were carried out at 15 other properties in East Surrey as part of an operation to dismantle the supply of Class A drugs.

Ten people in total were arrested.

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