Two people have been arrested and a knife was seized from a teenager during an operation at a train station to detect people carrying drugs.

Cannabis and a kitchen knife were recovered following checks in and around Tonbridge Station by uniformed and plain clothed officers on Friday.

The operation was assisted by specially trained police dogs, deployed by the station’s entrance and exit barriers to detect anyone suspected of carrying illegal substances.

A total of 14 people were searched, including a 16-year-old boy found in possession of a kitchen knife. The teenager was stopped after crossing the road to evade officers.

He was later charged with possessing a knife in a public place and bailed to appear before Medway Magistrates’ Court on April 30.

Formal cannabis warnings were given to three people stopped and found in possession of small quantities of the drug and a 35-year-old man from Tonbridge was arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation, linked to threatening behaviour and criminal damage.

The enforcement action was supported by British Transport Police as well as by railway employees, who were also on hand to tackle fare evaders.

Sergeant Ash Boxall of the Tonbridge Community Policing Team said: "Anyone who thinks it is ok to walk around with drugs on them needs to think again and ask themselves if it is really worth it.

"Our passive drugs dogs are able to detect people who have been using illegal substances even if they are not carrying any.

"We are continually working in partnership with other law enforcement agencies such as British Transport Police and neighbouring forces to also prevent and disrupt those involved in knife crime, targeting those who wrongly think that carrying a knife or a weapon for whatever reason in is acceptable."

Read more: All the latest news from Tonbridge