A 23-year-old Bonner man, subject to a good behaviour order for other offences, has been charged with drug trafficking in Gungahlin on Tuesday night.

Police watched several individuals approaching a green Toyota Camry sedan parked in the Gungahlin College basketball courts car park at about 7.50pm.

Three men who had been in the car were stopped by police on the footpath on Ernest Cavanagh Street.

Using emergency search powers, police say they found a plastic bag of 37 grams of what is suspected to be cocaine officers on the 23-year-old man. He was arrested.

In a subsequent search of the Toyota Camry, police seized a prohibited flick knife, a meat cleaver, 18 small bags and one large bag containing green vegetable matter, suspected to be cannabis.

Police say the 23-year-old man is charged with drug trafficking, with further charges expected to be laid.