A killer zombie knife has been found hidden at the back of an electricity junction box on a housing estate in Mile End during a weapons sweep.
The lethal 10in weapon, which is set to be banned by the government, was taped behind the box on the Bancroft housing estate —ready to be used for a crime.
Another knife, also 10ins, was also found a mile away in Bethnal Green, on the Regent’s Canal towpath by the Roman Road bridge.
Officers from Met’s Tower Hamlets gang unit at Bethnal Green carried out the ‘flash sweep’ last week which for the first time involved faith leaders from churches, mosques and synagogues as part of a pilot scheme.
The community-based searches are in their trial stages, but the Met aims to run them throughout London as part of its fight against knife crime.
The first of the regular searches got under way on the Brancroft estate and in Twig Folly Close off Roman Road along the Grand Union Canal.
The ‘sweeps’ uncovered knives hidden in bushes and behind an electricity junction box -
“These ‘flash searches’ will become common with the community joining us to take weapons off the streets,” Det Insp Chris Soole told the Advertiser.
“People shouldn’t be surprised seeing police searching parks and estates regularly. We’ll even knock on people’s doors and invite them to join us - anyone can take part.”
Leon Silver, East London Central Synagogue president, said: “There is a lot of drug dealing and street gangs in this neighbourhood.
“An argument where someone knows where to reach a hidden weapon suddenly turns to bloodshed - even murder. Knowing weapons are being planted is worrying.”
The Imam of Bethnal Green’s Globe Town mosque, Jayna Abtin, also spotted canisters of ‘laughing’ gas in the bushes.
He said: “These canisters have a bad effect on young people. We have to alert our people about this.”
Weapons found are immediately ‘bagged up’ and sent for forensic examination.
A previous sweep in Shadwell Gardens uncovered a knife, scaffold pole and clips and two iron bars thew week before in what police believe was a weapons ‘dump’ for “an instant army” ready for a gang fight. Clean drug needles and identity cards that probably belonged to theft victims were also found.
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