Nearly 1,000 arrested and 400 knives seized as part of police crackdown on violent crime in London | UK News

Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested and more than 400 knives seized in an attempt to curb violent crime in London, police said.

Between April 26 and May 2, as part of Operation Scepter, Metropolitan Police officers working across the country recovered 411 knives and 166 other weapons using weapon scans and targeted patrols – and made 994 arrests.

The Met worked with the UK Transport Police to use drug detection dogs and knife bows to deter people from transporting guns and drugs on the air and underground networks.

Automatic license plate recognition technology has been deployed to target people carrying and delivering medication on the roads entering and exiting London.

Commander Alex Murray, Head of Violence at the Met, said: “The results of this operation demonstrate the Met’s dedication and commitment to tackling violent crime, and I am confident that with the seizure of so many knives, we prevented further stab wounds.

“As we move through the summer months, reducing violence and saving lives will remain our top policing priority.

“The recent incidents of violence that we have seen in London remind us exactly why operations like this are so important.

“While this operation may have ended, rest assured that our officers will continue to be on the streets every day, carrying out these activities and using all the tactics at their disposal to prevent violent crime.

London recorded the highest rate of knife crime in the country in 2019-2020, with 179 offenses involving a knife per 100,000 people, according to a House of Commons backgrounder released in October.

This was a slight increase from a rate of 169 per 100,000 in 2018-19.

2020 was also the sixth year in a row that at least 100 people have been killed in the capital – and there have already been several incidents in …