Teenagers allegedly caught with kitchen knives, hatchet in two-day crime blitz in NSW

NSW Police have cracked down on knife crime in a major two-day operation across the state.

During the 48-hour blitz from Thursday to Saturday, police arrested 70 people, including a 14-year-old, and seized 62 weapons, including kitchen knives, firearms and even a hatchet.

In one incident, a 20-year-old woman was arrested and charged on Thursday after she was allegedly found with a 20cm kitchen knife in her pants at a shopping centre in Liverpool, Sydney's south-west.

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She was charged with intent to commit an indictable offence, stalking and intimidation and having custody of a knife in a public place.

A 15-year-old boy was also charged in Mount Annan, south-west of Sydney, after police allegedly found a kitchen knife in his pants and four other knives in his backpack.

He was arrested and dealt with under the young offenders act.

More than 350 charges were laid during this knife crime operation, which saw more than 9000 people searched.

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Superintendent Guy Magee said the blitz, named Operation Foil, was aimed at making the streets of NSW safer from dangerous weapons.

"Operation Foil was again a success with police seizing 49 knives, six firearms, and seven other weapons, demonstrably fewer weapons in the hands of potentially high-risk individuals," Magee said.

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"Operations such as this are about keeping members of the public safe from people who may potentially use them to frighten, harm or intimidate others.

"We know knife violence can have devastating consequences for both victims, and those people carrying or using knives: their decisions can change lives."

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A concurrent operation, Operation Ares, also took place in high-density areas in Parramatta, Wollongong and Blacktown.

It involved officers using wands to detect weapons and resulted in 55 people being arrested and 24 weapons seized.

As part of Operation Ares, Police also charged a 16-year-old boy after he was allegedly found with a knife, hatchet and alleged stolen items in Parramatta.

At the same time, police allege a boy, 14, threw a knife down a drain on Darcy Street in Parramatta.

"We are still concerned with the number of people who choose to carry knives and will continue to run operations like this to keep the community safe," Magee added.