Seven guns found by police in crackdown on crime gangs in Sheffield

Guns have been seized by South Yorkshire Police

They were recovered during August and September and eight arrests have been made.

Acting Chief Inspector Ian Proffitt said: “We are acutely aware of the impact firearms incidents can have on local communities and we understand that the vast majority of Sheffield residents are concerned.

“Following the recent launch of our organised crime campaign across Sheffield, where we asked for the public’s help to shine a spotlight on gang crime, we received some useful information for which we are very grateful.

“Acting on the information passed to us by communities, in addition to intelligence we had gathered as part of a number of comprehensive investigations into organised crime, we executed a number of warrants in key locations across Sheffield.

“These operations resulted in the seizure of seven illegally held firearms and eight people have now been arrested.

“We have a dedicated team established to explore every line of inquiry and piece of information we receive about gangs and firearms, in a bid to better understand how organised criminals work and how we can best disrupt their activity.

“By seizing their firearms and arresting those involved in these matters, we are sending a strong message that we will take whatever action we can to get dangerous individuals off our streets.

“As an example, one individual arrested for possession of a sawn off shotgun was jailed for five years in August. This is a significant sentence, which highlights how seriously both the police and the courts view this crime.

“We will actively seek out those who engage in crime that causes fear and uncertainty in our city. They are not above the law and I urge the wider public of Sheffield to stand with us to tackle this issue, by providing whatever information you can about suspected criminality.

“I appreciate that some may not feel comfortable passing information to police directly, so remember you can always call Crimestoppers anonymously."

Anyone with information on those involved in organised crime and firearms call South Yorkshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.