Cinema-goers stood in amazement as armed police in plain clothes swooped on Basildon's Festival Leisure Park in an undercover operation.
Security check - armed plain-clothes police officers search a white van Picture: LUAN MARSHALL
The nine-strong squad, armed with Heckler and Koch MP5 guns, searched every vehicle driving out of the park at around 2.30pm yesterday.
Police with dogs and uniformed officers were also at the scene and after half-an-hour of searching and questioning drivers, officers got back in their vehicles and dispersed.
Two men were arrested and taken to Basildon police station, but were later released without charge.
Published Thursday July 1, 2004
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