Lambeth raid: Ten knives seized, man arrested

Metropolitan Police officers used a circular saw to cut through the front door of a property on Wandsworth Road in Lambeth during a dawn raid on Tuesday, August 25th. The operation, which began at 5:09 AM, led to the recovery of ten knives, including lock and flick knives, from the address.

Intelligence-led operation

The warrant was executed following intelligence suggesting illegal knives were being imported into the UK and linked to the Wandsworth Road address. Detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command are investigating the alleged attempted importation of a significant number of knives from China, some of which were intercepted by Border Force before reaching the streets. A man in his twenties was arrested on suspicion of importing prohibited weapons and remains in custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Kara Moulds, who led the operation, stated that the seized knives have no place on London's streets. "Every knife we seize is one less weapon that can be used to threaten, injure or kill," Moulds said. "By taking them off the streets and bringing offenders to justice, we're making London safer for everyone."

Tackling knife crime

The raid is part of the Metropolitan Police's ongoing efforts to combat knife crime and violence across the capital. Knife-enabled crime in London has decreased by 5.9 per cent for the financial year to date, with knife-enabled robbery falling by 13.7 per cent over the same period. In September 2024, zombie-style knives and machetes were added to the list of prohibited weapons in England and Wales.