Officers from Bedfordshire Police’s specialist guns and gangs unit charged two men with firearms and drugs offences after recovering a weapon in Bedford.
The Boson team stopped and searched a vehicle last week, which led to the arrest of three men on suspicion of drugs offences.
As enquiries progressed, officers searched a nearby area and recovered a firearm.
A man in his 20s faces a charge of conspiracy to possess a firearm, while a second man also in his 20s has been charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs.
Both men were remanded in custody.
Police released a third man, who is in his 40s, on conditional bail while enquiries continue.
The police force’s dedicated Boson team continues its work to target and disrupt serious and organised crime across the area.
Speaking about the operation, detective inspector Jon Wheeler said that officers “remain committed to taking robust action to tackle the supply of illegal drugs and remove illegal firearms from our streets”.
He emphasised that the public “continue to play a vital role in helping us develop intelligence and disrupt criminal activity” by reporting local concerns.
