Police given authority to stop and search anyone in areas of Cardiff after two stabbings

Police officers have been given the authority to stop and search anyone in the Butetown, Grangetown and Riverside areas of the city after two stabbings took place within a 24 hour period.

It follows two stabbing incidents that happened in Cardiff within the last 24 hours.

A man was taken to the University Hospital of Wales with stab wounds on 31 January after an incident in Smeaton Street in the Riverside area of the city. He is in a stable condition.

A 33-year-old man is also in critical condition in the the University Hospital of Wales with stab wounds after an incident in Loudon Square in Butetown on 1 February.

Police were given extra powers to stop and search any person or vehicle

The Section 60 Notice enables officers to:

  • search anyone in those areas from 2pm on Saturday 1 February to 6am on 3 February;

  • stop and search any pedestrian, or anything carried by them for offensive weapons or dangerous instruments without good reason;

  • stop and search any vehicle, its driver and any passenger, for offensive weapons or dangerous instruments.

South Wales Police said the two incidents are not being linked and that the aim of Section 60 Notice is to "prevent serious violence, to find dangerous instruments or apprehend anyone carrying weapons."