Police officers seized a loaded gun, an 11-inch machete and drugs as they arrested 46 suspects in Hackney, Islington and across central London in a four-day crackdown.

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology was used across central east (Tower Hamlets and Hackney), central north (Camden and Islington) and central south (Southwark and Lambeth) areas of the capital in Operation Aldrin with the aim to prevent alleged offenders using the road network.

Some 73 vehicles were searched between Wednesday, October 28 and Sunday, November 1, resulting in 46 arrests for offences including possession with intent to supply class A drugs, possession of an offensive weapon and money laundering.

There were 16 drug seizures, five weapons were taken off the streets and 17 people were referred to the Divert intervention programme.

Ch Insp Jack May-Robinson of the violent crime taskforce said: “This is the first year we have run operation Aldrin and it’s with huge success.”