A MAN has been charged with weapons, drugs and driving offences, and will appear before court this morning.

Adetokunbo Oredin, 23, a car salesman from Pugh Place in Stanford-le-Hope will appear before Basildon Magistrates Court today.

He was charged with possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid, two counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, possession of cannabis, driving a vehicle without insurance and driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

He was arrested by officers from the South Op Raptor Team at 9.50am yesterday in Stagden Close, Basildon.

Officers stopped a vehicle to check the driver’s licence. They smelt cannabis inside and then discovered a baseball bat, wheel brace, and a bottle containing ammonia.

Essex Police has been running targeted operations to tackle drugs gangs since May 2014 and now has an Op Raptor team in each local policing area.

Much of the work is driven by intelligence officers ask anyone with information about gang activity in their community to call on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.