Four males arrested at North Greenwich station in police op

Four males have been arrested at a south east London tube station in a police operation targeting knife crime on the transport network.

Five knives were seized and four males arrested for possession of a bladed article in the Friday night operation at North Greenwich station.

The return of Operation Avara was joint led by British Transport Police, BTP Blackheath, BTP Dogs, and Met Police from Bexley and Woolwich.

BTP London - Operation Avara in south east London

Greenwich Met Police praised the joint working efforts on Twitter, with officers from BTP London, MPS Woolwich Riverside and MPs Peninsula helping make the four arrests and weapons seizures.

BTP London - Operation Avara in south east London

The BTP's Superintendent Christopher Horton commented: "Well done team. Outstanding work with colleagues from Met Police to protect the public from those carrying knives who are happy to take a life."

In its first year, Operation Avara saw a whopping 145 arrests and 56 weapons seized at train stations located in south east London and north Kent.

It was a regular occurrence prior to Covid-19, with officers targeting criminal activity on London's transport network.

As reported by the News Shopper, covert assets, knife arches and drug dogs have been used in operations at stations in Greenwich, Charlton, Welling, Sidcup, Dartford, Erith and more.