Zombie knives seized during police search warrants

Police officers have seized zombie knives and a sword from properties in a county while investigating the supply of crack and cocaine.

Essex Police said Operation Raptor North carried out the warrants as part of its inquiries into a drug line operating in the Colchester area of Essex.

It said the seizures allowed detectives to put new legislation around the possession and ownership of these weapons to "good use".

A 58-year-old and 19-year-old were arrested and charged with offences related to drugs and weapons. They have both been released on conditional bail and are due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on 5 February.

The force said the county line had been linked to the supply of Class A drugs with an estimated value of more than £30,000.

At one address officers seized a mobile phone, cannabis, cocaine, cutting agents, three zombie knives and a curved-edged sword.

Officers found mobile phones, a zombie knife, cannabis and cocaine at a second address.

As of September 2024, zombie-style knives are on a list of prohibited weapons in the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and are illegal to possess or sell.

In September, the force received more than 200 knives which had been surrendered as part of a Home Office-led programme.

Det Sgt Daneille Markoutsis, of Operation Raptor North, said the work to keep Class A drugs off the streets has led to deadly weapons being taken out of circulation and disposed.

She said: "Our teams working to tackle county lines activity know this is the trade which fuels the majority of serious violence in Essex.

"This is why such enforcement is vital. This work continues on a daily basis and relies heavily on the information we receive from the community."

She said the force is urging people to come forward if they are aware of drug activity in their area.

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