Three men have been arrested after police seized 450 bottles of nitrous oxide from a van parked near Kingston town centre in a late-night operation aimed at dealers selling to weekend revellers.
Plain-clothes officers on patrol last Friday night (25 September) spotted the vehicle, which they believed was being used as a mobile stockpile for the gas during nights out. A search of the van uncovered the haul of canisters along with a significant amount of cash.
The recovery of a significant sum of cash alongside the canisters points to a commercial-scale operation, with sellers able to keep a rolling stockroom close to the town centre’s bars and clubs through the night rather than carrying large quantities on foot.
The three men were arrested at the scene. They remain under investigation, and police have not released their ages or any further details about the suspects. No charges have been announced.
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.”
The force said the Kingston seizure forms part of a wider push against street-level dealing in town centres, with hundreds more officers deployed to community crime-fighting teams and visible patrols stepped up in what police describe as “hot spots”. New technology, including live facial recognition cameras, drones and e-bikes, is being used to help officers deter and catch offenders.
“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,” the spokesperson added.
The Kingston operation follows a string of drug enforcement successes across the capital this week. Officers seized weapons and drugs in a Deptford raid, while a crackdown in Tower Hamlets saw officers recover a hidden canal stash and make two arrests.
Nitrous oxide – better known as laughing gas or “nos” – was reclassified as a Class C controlled drug in November 2023, following growing concern about the open sale of the gas in nightlife areas and at festivals. Possessing it with the intent of wrongfully inhaling it is a criminal offence carrying up to two years in prison and an unlimited fine, while supplying it to others so it can be inhaled – or intending to do so – can lead to up to 14 years behind bars. Legitimate uses of the gas, including in catering and medicine, remain lawful.
The change in the law was aimed squarely at the kind of trade uncovered in Kingston: bulk canisters bought cheaply and sold on at a mark-up outside clubs, bars and late-night venues, often by dealers operating from parked cars and vans within easy reach of the crowds.
Health experts have long warned about the risks of heavy use. While a single inhalation produces only a brief high, prolonged and frequent use can deplete the body’s vitamin B12, leading to numbness, tingling and lasting nerve damage in the hands, feet and spine. In severe cases, users have been left struggling to walk.
Police also point to the trail of small silver canisters left behind on streets, in parks and outside venues after busy nights – litter that has become a familiar sight in town centres with a thriving night-time economy, and which the Met says feeds into anti-social behaviour.
Kingston town centre, with its concentration of bars, clubs and late-night venues, draws large crowds on weekend nights, making it a natural focus both for dealers and for the plain-clothes patrols now targeting them. The three men remain under investigation as police continue their enquiries.
