Weapons and millions of pounds worth of drugs have been seized in the last 12 months by a specialist South Wales team disrupting those involved in knife crime and serious violence.
This year the force has also launched a new anti-knife crime campaign ‘Not The One’ to educate young people on the consequences of carrying a knife and empower communities to play their part in helping to reduce knife crime.
Superintendent Esyr Jones, force lead for tackling serious violence, said: This combined effort of enforcement and education is helping to keep our streets safe and protect those being exploited.
These latest figures highlight how the Op Sceptre Team continue to pursue those involved in serious violence and associated criminality.
Since the start of April 2021, the Op Sceptre Team in Cardiff and Swansea have:
• Arrested 412 people suspected of being involved in violence and criminal exploitation.
• Taken 128 weapons off the streets
• Seized £4.79m worth of drugs and £224k in cash.
Supt Jones, added: "South Wales is a safe place to live, to work and to be, but we will never be complacent, and tackling the harm that knife crime and serious violence cause is an absolute priority for South Wales Police.
"And while we know it can be difficult to speak up if you think someone is carrying a knife, by doing so you can help ensure that weapon can’t be used to cause serious injury, or worse. Ultimately, that means you could save a life.”
In an emergency, always dial 999.
The work of the Op Sceptre Team is complemented by neighbourhood, response, specialist operations, and other police teams.
In March, @swpolice and the Violence Prevention Unit launched the
#NotTheOne campaign to educate young people on the consequences of carrying a knife.
Together an early intervention approach is being taken to tackle knife crime with the aim of reducing the number of knife crime offences and perpetrators.