A response team’s sense of smell inadvertently led to them discovering a knuckleduster inside a car.
The officers were driving along Hartley Road, Radford, when they noticed a strong aroma as another car passed by.
After suspecting the smell was cannabis and that it was coming from within the car, officers followed the vehicle for a short while and then pulled it over in Faraday Road, Lenton.
Following that stop at around 12:50 am on Monday (31 July), police suspected the woman driving the car could be under the influence of drugs, so carried out a roadside drugs wipe, which tested positive for cannabis.
A search was also carried out of the vehicle by police, which led to a knuckleduster being discovered in the footwell of the car and subsequently seized.
Three people – a 34-year-old woman and two men, aged 29 and 30 – were all arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
The woman was also arrested on suspicion of drug-driving.
After bringing the suspects into custody, a police officer was assaulted – causing injuries to their shoulder – while damage was caused to the inside of the Nottingham Custody Suite building.
The 29-year-old man detained earlier during the car stop was then additionally arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and causing criminal damage.
Sergeant Dan Buckle, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was a great example of the alertness of our officers who, in this case, managed to uncover multiple offences after literally following their noses.
“After smelling cannabis coming out of a passing car, the team’s instincts kicked in and they made the decision to pull the vehicle over after suspecting wrongdoing.
“As a direct result of this decision, they were ultimately able to detain a suspected drug-driver and also seize a knuckleduster that was found inside the car.
“There is absolutely no excuse for anyone to have this type of offensive weapon in their possession – in fact, it is now illegal for anyone to even keep a knuckleduster at home or in a private place anywhere within the UK.
“It should go without saying, but it is also completely unacceptable for anyone to assault a police officer or other emergency worker. This is not okay and should never be considered as just part of the job.”
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