Machete, sword and drugs seized in police raids in Sutton and Hucknall

Officers from the county knife crime team were patrolling the Hucknall area when they spotted two people acting suspiciously.

Following what looked like a drug deal, officers approached the suspects in Titchfield Street, who both promptly ran away.

Within minutes of that initial sighting, on April 5, at about 1.20pm, officers found two men matching their description in Yorke Street.

A machete was discovered hidden nearby, while searches of the suspects uncovered quantities of cannabis, multiple ‘burner’ phones and cash.

As a direct consequence of this, police carried out warrants at two addresses in Hucknall and Sutton, which led to further discoveries.

A friction lock baton, a sword and other weapons were all seized from inside one of the addresses.

About £15,000 worth of designer clothing and large amounts of cash were also found – along with more cannabis and various drug paraphernalia.

Both men, aged 20 and 23, were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to supply class B drugs and possession of a knife in a public place.

The 20-year-old was also arrested for possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, possession of criminal property, money laundering and possession of cannabis.

It is now against the law for friction lock batons, otherwise known as ‘telescopic truncheons’, to be kept in a private place or be sold anywhere in the UK.

Samurai swords, zombie knives and knuckledusters are also among the weapons it is illegal to own.

Sergeant Jonny Groves, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “When we carry out these proactive patrols, it is with the intention of making discoveries exactly like this, so we’re very pleased with this result.

“While our ultimate focus is tackling knife crime, we know that people who tend to be knife-carriers are also involved in wider criminality, such as drug activity.

“It is important that people realise it is illegal to have offensive weapons, like friction lock batons, in their homes, and that this is an arrestable offence.”

Anyone who has any information about this incident is asked to call the police on 101, quoting incident 357 of April 5, 2023, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.