Rhyl street searched for 'knives hidden by gangs'

Image caption, Six knives have been found in the area in recent weeks

Searches have been carried out in a bid to find stashes of knives hidden by gangs in a Denbighshire seaside town.

Organised criminals are suspected of hiding or disposing of bladed weapons in the Abbey Street area of Rhyl.

There were 104 knife-related incidents in the town between February 2019 and March 2020, North Wales Police said.

"This area has become a hotspot and we want to reassure the public we are trying to keep them safe," said PC Rebecca Evans.

Outdoor spaces, including drains, flower beds and bushes are being searched after six knives were found near the town centre in recent weeks.

The knives are not being connected to a specific crime.

Image caption, No properties were targeted in the search

"It's well known that organised crime gangs and the people they exploit will hide or stash weapons in open spaces where they believe an incident might occur," said PC Evans.

"That could be a drug deal, maybe a violent incident, and they have the weapons at hand so that they can protect themselves.

"It's quite rare to find that number of knives and we want to reassure the public that this isn't something we come across every day.

"However this area has become a hotspot and we wanted to jump on it straight away."