Officers from the county knife crime team were on patrol in Hucknall when they spotted a suspicious van.
After running some checks, police saw the vehicle was being driven illegally, so pulled it over in Papplewick Lane.
Following the stop, which happened at around 10.15am on Thursday (30 March), a search was carried out of the van.
This then led to a knife being discovered inside the vehicle.
Lee Heald, 51, was charged with possession of a bladed article, driving without insurance, and driving while disqualified.
Heald, of Station Road, Heanor, Derbyshire, has since been released on bail to appear before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 20 April 2023.
Sergeant Jonny Groves, of Nottinghamshire Police’s county knife crime team, said: “Proactive stop and searches like the one carried out in this incident are a key tactic we use on a daily basis.
“While we are always on the lookout for people involved in other crimes too, taking knives off the streets is our primary aim as a team, so we’re pleased to have been able to do that on this occasion.”
More news from Derbyshire
