A man has been arrested after police seized a sword, a zombie knife and an imitation firearm during a drugs raid at a property in Deptford on Thursday morning.
Officers executed a drugs warrant in the Vanguard Street area in the early hours of 1 October, recovering the weapons alongside what was described as a large quantity of suspected controlled drugs and cash.
The operation was carried out by Safer Neighbourhood Team officers. The man arrested at the scene remains in custody at a south London police station while enquiries continue.
Sgt Simon Cruwys said the raid followed intelligence-led policing activity, combining proactive patrols with information shared by members of the local community.
The early-morning timing of the raid is typical of drugs warrants, which are often executed at dawn to maximise the element of surprise and reduce the risk of evidence being destroyed or suspects fleeing.
The seizure comes amid sustained efforts by the Metropolitan Police to take weapons off the streets of south-east London, where knife crime remains one of the force’s most pressing concerns. It follows a string of recent incidents across the capital, including a late-night knife attack in Charlton that left a teenager in critical condition.
Zombie knives — typically defined by their serrated cutting edge and threatening imagery etched onto the blade — have been repeatedly targeted by ministers in recent years. Zombie-style machetes were added to the list of prohibited weapons in 2024, and anyone caught carrying a zombie knife in a public place can face up to four years in prison.
Imitation firearms are also treated seriously by police and the courts. While incapable of firing live ammunition, replica guns can cause genuine fear and are frequently used to intimidate victims during robberies and other offences. Officers attending any firearms call are trained to treat every reported weapon as real until it is proven otherwise.
Drugs warrants of the kind executed in Vanguard Street are granted by magistrates under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, allowing officers to enter and search premises where they have reasonable grounds to suspect controlled drugs are being kept or dealt.
Safer Neighbourhood Teams are dedicated groups of Met officers and PCSOs assigned to individual wards across the capital, tasked with tackling the issues that matter most to local residents — from drug dealing and anti-social behaviour to burglary and street violence.
Sgt Cruwys credited the local community with helping to trigger Thursday’s operation, underlining the role that tip-offs from residents play in directing police activity. Anyone with information about drug dealing or weapons in their area can contact police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Vanguard Street sits in Deptford, in the London Borough of Lewisham in south-east London — an area that has seen sustained police attention over drug-related and violent crime in recent years. Deptford has featured in a number of recent court cases, including the conviction of a man for murder 20 years after a teenager was beaten with a bike chain in the area, while a killer was jailed this year over a fatal attack in neighbouring Lewisham.
Any cash recovered during drugs operations can be detained and ultimately seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 if investigators can show it is linked to criminal activity, providing another avenue for disrupting dealing networks.
The arrested man is expected to be questioned on suspicion of offences including possession of offensive weapons, possession of an imitation firearm and possession of controlled drugs. Police have not said whether charges have yet been brought.
Enquiries into Thursday’s raid are ongoing, and the Metropolitan Police has been contacted for further information.
