Two 16-year-olds found with a machete, a carving knife and drugs hidden in a stolen car were sentenced last week.

The boys, from Beckton but who cannot be named due to their age, were stopped by police officers responding to a call about youngsters dealing drugs in Beckton.

They spotted a car on Trader Road and searched it, the 16-year-old driver and two passengers.

Thirty bags of cannabis and 20 wraps of crack cocaine were recovered alongside drugs paraphernalia, including a cannabis grinder, cigarette papers and self-seal bags.

Officers also found a carving knife and a machete in the car, as well as a kitchen knife hidden in a secret compartment below the steering wheel.

Checks on the vehicle found that it had been stolen from the Willesden area in October 2014.

Appearing at Stratford Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 9, the driver of the car was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders’ institute for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

He was also sentenced to four months in the institute for possessing the three bladed weapons and another six for possessing cannabis, both to run concurrently. His driving license was also endorsed.

One of the passengers was sentenced to an 18 month youth rehabilitation order and an 18 month supervision order for possession of drugs with intent to supply and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was ordered to wear a curfew tag for four months, complete 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £660 in costs.

They denied the charges in January but were found guilty following a trial at Stratford Magistrates’ Court last month.

The case against the third boy was discontinued.

Det Supt Andrew Mortimer praised the “significant local seizure.”

He said: “The case demonstrates the risks our patrolling officers face every day when responding to calls from members of the public.

“On this occasion, officers were confronted with an array of bladed weapons and drugs.

“Most worryingly these items were in the hands of boys who were travelling in a stolen car being driven by a child with no insurance.”