Who are the Arifs and did they know the Kray Twins?

THE Arifs were once dubbed ''Britain's No1 crime family''.

Here we take a look at the London-based crime mob and their reign of terror since the late 1960s.

Who are the Arif brothers?

The Arifs are a South East London-based Turkish criminal organisation.

The gang is believed to have been led by brothers Deniz, Mehmet and Doğan Arif but more brothers were believed to be involved in the various operations, including Bekir Arif, also known as ''The Duke''.

The Arifs settled in London's Rotherhithe and Old Kent Road areas in the 1950s and by the eighties had become one of the most feared gangs in the capital.

What crimes did the Arifs commit?

The Arifs were heavily involved in a number of crimes, including armed robbery, drug trafficking and other racketeering-related activities within London's underworld.

How did the Arif brothers get arrested?

Bekir Arif was the third of seven brothers to receive major prison sentences.

In November 1990, brothers Dennis and Mehmet Arif were arrested in Surrey as they attempted to rob a security van while wearing Ronald Reagan masks.

In 2016, Bekir Arif was sentenced to eleven-and-a half-years for conspiring to supply amphetamines and breaching a serious crime prevention order.

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The court heard how police raided a caravan in Somerset in July 2015 and seized 48 kilos of high-grade amphetamine that was 66 per cent pure and worth up to £1.5m on the street.

Cops also found heroin and cannabis in the caravan, where drugs were found stuffed under cushions and in kitchen cabinets.

At the time, Dennis and Mehmet Arif were serving 22 and 18 years respectively for their crimes.

Arif has convictions dating back to 1977 when he was imprisoned for his role in an armed robbery that resulted in the death of a security guard.

In 1999, he was jailed for 23 years for conspiracy to supply 100kg of heroin worth £12.5million.

Despite a series of arrests and successful convictions, the family are thought to have maintained ties with Turkey, with accomplices allegedly overseeing drug shipments to mainland Europe.

The extent of their operations today is unclear.