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| Major crackdown on guns culture | Major crackdown on guns culture |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| More than 100 arrests were made and more than 1,300 weapons seized in a major offensive against gun culture, the home secretary has announced. | |
| Co-ordinated raids in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London led to 118 arrests and the seizure of the weapons - most of them replicas. | |
| More than 1,000 officers were involved in the crackdown, which included work in schools and support for families. | More than 1,000 officers were involved in the crackdown, which included work in schools and support for families. |
| Jacqui Smith said it showed the police could "fight back against gangs". | |
| It's important that we make sure that we're getting guns and other weapons off the streets, that we're making clear that this isn't the sort of activity that we have to live with Jacqui Smith Vote to tighten Euro gun laws | |
| Speaking from Longsight police station in Manchester, she said: "What yesterday demonstrates is that this is the case and I hope that will reassure communities and encourage the police officers and others that have been working on this to keep up the good work." | |
| Not all of the 118 arrests were gun related with others being linked to drugs, prostitution and other crimes. | |
| She added: "What we know is that the relationship with gang membership and drugs crime and other things often can lead to gun crime and it's important that we tackle that. | |
| "It's important that we make sure that we're getting guns and other weapons off the streets, that we're making clear that this isn't the sort of activity that we have to live with, that ordinary members of the community can fight back against it." | |
| Stun gun | Stun gun |
| Police arrested gang members after serving search warrants and operating armed mobile checkpoints which used automatic number plate recognition equipment. | Police arrested gang members after serving search warrants and operating armed mobile checkpoints which used automatic number plate recognition equipment. |
| Police were also joined by Revenue and Customs officers in checking the records of registered firearms dealers to ensure they were operating within the law. | Police were also joined by Revenue and Customs officers in checking the records of registered firearms dealers to ensure they were operating within the law. |
| In Manchester, drugs, firearms - including a stun gun - and machetes were seized while extra patrols were operating in the areas of Fallowfield, Moss Side and Old Trafford. | In Manchester, drugs, firearms - including a stun gun - and machetes were seized while extra patrols were operating in the areas of Fallowfield, Moss Side and Old Trafford. |
| And in Liverpool, arrests were made for a variety of offences including the possession of firearms and drugs. | And in Liverpool, arrests were made for a variety of offences including the possession of firearms and drugs. |
| Police also uncovered four cannabis factories and seized a large quantity of class A drugs. | Police also uncovered four cannabis factories and seized a large quantity of class A drugs. |
| The four cities targeted were identified by the government as gun crime "hot spots" after 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot dead as he walked home from football practice in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, in August. | |
| Meanwhile, a proposal led by British MEP Arlene McCarthy to ban firearms that can be converted into handguns faces a vote in the European Parliament. | Meanwhile, a proposal led by British MEP Arlene McCarthy to ban firearms that can be converted into handguns faces a vote in the European Parliament. |