A POLICE operation at night clubs in Bury St Edmunds found no knives were being carried by customers.

All 80 customers of Club Brazilia in Station Hill on Friday were found to be free of knives, as well as drugs.

They were checked as a condition of entry using a knife arch as well as an Ion Track Itemiser, which is a drug-testing device.

Those visiting Vision, also in Station Hill, were searched by door staff and swabbed for testing with Ion Track on Saturday.

About 200 customers went to the club and no offensive weapons or knives were seized during the night.

Use of the metal-detecting knife arch was part of Suffolk Police’s Bin a Blade amnesty and anti-knife crime campaign.

General Manager at Club Brazilia, Becky Andrews, said: “I have worked in conjunction with Suffolk Police and the equipment before at other venues.

“It helps to make people aware that we provide a safe environment for people to have fun in our town and venue.”

Officers from Suffolk’s Night-Time Economy Team joined local officers to carry out checks.

The Ion Track Itemiser works by officers brushing the surface with a swab which is fed into the Itemiser, revealing any illegal substances.

The machine detected the presence of cocaine on one man who was attempting to enter Vision.

The 22-year-old man from Bury St Edmunds was searched and arrested for possession. He received a caution.

Also at Vision, police were called across after the search of a man by door staff raised suspicions. A number of substances were found which were seized.

A 31-year-old man from Bury St Edmunds was arrested on suspicion of possession of cannabis and has been released on police bail to return to Bury St Edmunds Police Station on June 1.

On Friday night licensing checks were also carried out by police and St Edmundsbury Borough Council at 11 premises, with eight were given advice for minor licensing issues.

Over both Friday and Saturday night arrests were made for disorder.

Roads policing officers were also on patrol both nights, with Fixed Penalty Notices being issued for a range of offences including defective exhausts and not having an MOT.

Also, a hackney/private hire taxi was issued with a notice for unfit use and one vehicle was seized for having no insurance.

Two women were arrested following a collision between a Rover and a parked car in St Olaves Road on Saturday morning.

One received a caution for aggravated vehicle taking and Kathleen Clay, 21, of Culford Terrace, Bury St Edmunds, has been charged with aggravated vehicle taking, drink driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

She is due to appear at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court on May 3.

Pc Dave Shaw, who organised the operation, said: “It was a positive two nights’ work and we received a lot of comments from members of the public who were pleased to see officers in the town centre.

“It was a very friendly atmosphere with little disorder as expected, and no knives found, again as expected.

“The door staff we worked with were extremely professional and gave plenty of assistance to the visiting Night-Time Economy Team.

“The licensees were also very supportive of our actions and have invited us to return to carry out further checks in the future.”