Pit bulls seized in Shepherd's Bush raid

They were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act and taken away from two young men in the property, next to the A40, who denied they were the owners. They are now likely to face prosecution.

Officers took the dogs to Fulham police station to be identified as pit bulls before transporting them to secure kennels.

The raid last Thursday afternoon (3) was part of Operation Bark, a Met Police scheme launched this year to try to crack down on soaring numbers of dangerous dogs, which are bred illegally and often used by gang members as a weapon, a status symbol or a tool of intimidation.

It is thought some criminals keep the animals because sentences relating to violent dog attacks are much lower than for offences involving guns or knives.

PC Mark Edwards, of Old Oak and College Park safer neighbourhood team, said: "Finding two adult dogs and tow puppies is a good result for us. These dogs are off the streets, and they're not around to breed even more puppies and add to the problems in the area.

"It's an ongoing issue to get these dogs off the streets."

In Hammersmith and Fulham 59 illegal dogs - including banned breeds such as the pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and filia Brasileiro - were seized between March 2008 and 2009.

In most cases the dogs are either destroyed or returned to the owners, if they admit responsibility and agree to register the animals and keep them muzzled when out in public.