A 51-year-old man has been charged with drugs and weapons offences after the bus he was travelling on from Katherine to Palmerston was stopped by police and searched by a drug-sniffing dog who allegedly found meth, marijuana and knives on the man, NT Police said.

The bus was stopped at an undisclosed time and date, believed to be near Pine Creek, for a routine search “when drug detection dog Swift lived up to his name, indicating on a passenger who was subsequently found to be in possession of methamphetamine, cannabis, drug paraphernalia and knives”, police said in a statement Wednesday.

The man was arrested at the scene and was charged with one count of possessing a less than traffickable quantity of a schedule one dangerous drug in a public place and another count of possessing a less than traffickable schedule two dangerous drug.

He was also charged with possessing a “thing to administer dangerous drug” and possessing controlled weapons.

Police said they expected the man was to face Katherine Local Court at some point to answer to the charges, but did not say when or if he had been bailed. It was also unclear when the arrest occurred.

Senior Sergeant Meacham King – one of the five lying officers who filed false sworn statements to the Coroner about racism in the TRG during the Kumanjayi Walker inquest – said in the police statement that the arrest of the 51-year-old bus passenger highlighted “the important work undertaken by the Dog Operations Unit in preventing illicit substances from entering Territory communities”.

“This was excellent work by Swift and his handler. Thanks to Swift, this offender won’t be making it to the next era of his journey with drugs and weapons,”

Anyone with information regarding the supply or distribution of illicit substances is urged to contact police on 131 444. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.