Police hail ‘great results’ after operation at Werribee train station

Hundreds were searched for weapons outside a train station in Melbourne’s west as police made arrests over drugs, knives and other crimes.

More than 300 people have been searched outside Werribee train station as part of a community safety crackdown on illegal weapons.

Under OMNI, a long-running operation which gives police special powers to stop and search people within a designated area, officers from the transit safety division and community engagement team descended on the station on March 31.

Police say 312 people were searched, alongside 147 vehicles, which resulted in three arrests and 25 charges being laid.

Three knives were allegedly recovered during the hours-long “highly-visible” operation.

A Wyndham police spokesman said the operation delivered “great results” and gave police an opportunity to engage with the community and local businesses ahead of the school holidays.

Transit safety division Inspector Fiona Curnow said police were out in force to detect weapons offences, enhance community safety and deter those who think carrying weapons in the community is acceptable.

“It’s our role to keep the community safe and we won’t tolerate weapons on the street,” she said.

“We will continue to have a highly visible presence and patrol community locations including train stations across the network to prevent crime and identify and arrest offenders.”

Locals took to social media to urge police to keep the pressure on trouble spots following the operation.

“A once off will not achieve anything,” one woman said. “Why not do it full time?”

Another man wrote the operation should target the same area at night “when there’s tons of idiots hanging out”.