An enormous samurai sword sticking straight up in the air and a dagger hidden at a bus stop were among the alarming finds made by police on a routine weapons sweep this morning.
Police in Hackney and Islington took part in Operation Red Kite alongside councils, Border Force workers and Territorial Support Group officers.
Hackney sergeant Richard Burns tweeted a photo of the dagger, found near Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park.
“A young male just found this at a bus stop in N4 and handed it to me,” he wrote. “Left for a sinister purpose?”
The samurai sword, pictured with its tip embedded in foliage behind a block of flats in Holloway, was found a short while later.
More than 120 police were involved in today’s search. A Met spokesman said: “Operation Red Kite seeks to target various criminal activities including youth violence, robbery and theft in and around Blackstock Road.”
As well as weapons sweeps, officers were planning to “visit well known gang members,” impound untaxed and abandoned cars and check whether shops are asking youngsters for ID when buying age-restricted products.
They also used police dogs to sniff out drugs and weapons.
Supt Jo Edwards said: “We are committed to reducing gang crime, anti-social behaviour and other crimes that affect the day-to-day lives of the people who live and work in these areas.
“By working closely with our neighbouring boroughs we are able to effectively tackle criminals.”
