London Knife Crime: Met Police Operation Nighthawk Results in 340 Arrests in Two Weeks

The Metropolitan Police has arrested 340 people and seized more than 200 weapons in just two weeks as part of Operation Nighthawk, a major intensified crackdown on knife crime across London.

The operation has seen thousands of additional patrols deployed in knife crime hotspots, enhanced use of stop-and-search powers, and coordinated raids on known gang locations across all 32 London boroughs.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley confirmed that among those arrested were 47 individuals wanted for previous knife-related offences, 12 known gang leaders, and 23 people suspected of supplying weapons to minors.

The operation has focused on the ten boroughs with the highest rates of knife crime, including Hackney, Southwark, Lambeth, Brent, and Croydon. Stop-and-search powers have been used more than 3,400 times during the operation.

Community leaders have expressed mixed reactions. While many welcome the reduction in visible knife crime, some have raised concerns about the disproportionate impact of stop-and-search on young Black and ethnic minority men.

Alongside enforcement, the operation includes a significant youth intervention component. Officers have visited 85 schools, spoken to over 12,000 students, and referred 78 young people to mentoring programmes.