Police shut down shop in Leeds for selling knives and machetes to gangs
Three people have been arrested
Last updated 8th Dec 2021
A shop in Leeds has been shut down- because police believe it was selling weapons to rival gangs.
West Yorkshire Police raided the Fantasia store in Ludgate Hill, in the city centre, on Tuesday 8 after receiving a tip off that members of rival gangs had been buying weapons from the shop to use during violent clashes.
The force said teenagers armed with machetes and other large knives have been involved in a number of recent incidents, primarily in east Leeds, that have led to them "inflicting and receiving very serious injuries".
Three men have been arrested- on suspicion of the unlawful marketing of knives.
Chief Inspector Kev Pickles, who heads neighbourhood policing for Leeds District, said:
“We have sadly seen a number of serious assaults where machetes and other similar long-bladed weapons have been used to inflict some really shocking injuries.
“In many cases, both the offenders and the victims have been young teenage males.
“This is an issue which has rightly caused understandable concern in our communities and is something we are continuing to take a proactive approach to tackling alongside our partner agencies."