A machete and drugs were seized following some instinctive police work from the knife crime team.
The specialist officers were patrolling Nottingham city centre when they saw two people who aroused their suspicions.
After trailing them for a short while, the officers started to believe the duo were making active attempts to get away from them.
Based on these suspicions, the team moved in and detained the two individuals in Hampden Street, around 10.45am on New Year’s Eve.
A machete in a sheath was at that point discovered following a search, along with around 50 wraps of suspected crack cocaine and heroin.
More wraps of Class A drugs, along with some cannabis and two mobile phones were also recovered by police.
A 15-year-old boy was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possessing a bladed article in public and possessing with intent to supply Class A drugs.
Police also arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of possessing with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
PC Greg Pick, of Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime team, said:
“Our team exists with the primary purpose of taking knives off the streets and taking action against anyone we believe could be carrying them.
“We’re therefore pleased to have been able to take this weapon out of harm’s way, while also seizing quantities of drugs in the process.
“This provided a great example of why we get out and about in the community on our patrols, which allows us to spot things that don’t look quite right and react accordingly if we suspect they could be linked to criminality.
“As we’ve said before, there does tend to be a link between drugs supply and knife carrying, which is why we always keep an eye out for potential drug activity.
“We go out each shift with the aim of taking weapons off the streets by targeting potential knife carriers, and we’re committed to doing everything in our powers as a policing team to continue doing this going forward.”
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