Police arrest man in 40s and teenager with meat cleaver during suspected drugs bust in Washwood Heath

Two people have been arrested during West Midlands Police’s Project Guardian patrols in Washwood Heath, Birmingham.

Officers out on patrol this afternoon arrested two people, recovering suspected class A drugs and a meat cleaver, the force revealed.

A 16-year-old boy carrying a meat cleaver was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon

Police recovered suspected class A drugs during the Project Guardian operation

“A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply, while a 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon,” a police statement read.

“We are currently searching a property following the arrests.”

In a video supplied by West Midlands Police, Inspector Colin Gallier from the Project Guardian team said:

“We’ve just responded to a call of suspicious activity, potential males drug dealing and possession of a weapon, namely a knife.

Inspector Colin Gallier from the West Midlands Police 'Project Guardian' team — Inspector Colin Gallier from the West Midlands Police ‘Project Guardian’ team

West Midlands Police officers made two arrests in Washwood Heath in Birmingham

“Upon our arrival on the scene, a person matching the description which we were given has immediately ran from police. We’ve manage to catch up with the individual and the group he was with.

“They’ve been subject to stop-and-search and actually we’ve searched the location which we first saw the individuals acting suspiciously and we’ve retrieved a meat cleaver, so at the moment, that person who ran from us, who matches that description, has been arrested so we can conduct further enquiries into that offensive weapon.”

Funded by the Home Office, Project Guardian was set up to tackle youth violence across the West Midlands, with a focus on knife crime.

The Project Guardian task force has been in operation in Birmingham since 2019 and was additionally launched across Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton in December.