Gwent Police has said its officers will increase their use of stop and search powers during a week-long campaign to combat knife crime.
The force’s action is alongside Operation Sceptre – a national campaign warning people of the dangers of carrying knives with criminal intent.
A knife amnesty is running where people can hand in weapons at police stations.
Superintendent Glyn Fernquest, of Gwent Police, said: “We are pleased to give our support to this national initiative once again.
“Crimes involving knives are rare in Gwent but we are taking positive active to try and prevent offences by removing them before any harm is caused.
“I hope this amnesty is an opportunity to cleanse our streets of these weapons. If you know a friend or family member who carries a knife or similar, urge them to surrender it as part of the amnesty. Every knife handed in is one less that can potentially be used on the streets of Gwent.”
Police figures release in July this year showed a rise in the number of people in Caerphilly caught with knives and guns.
There were 68 weapons possession offences between April 2017 and March 2018, according to data by the Office for National Statistics. These can include hand guns, knives and even corrosive acid. That figure is up 51.1% on 2016/17, when 45 incidents were recorded.
The statistics are based on crimes reported to the police, and the ONS urges caution in interpreting some of these figures. Some offences go unreported while others may be more numerous due to a change in the focus of the police or greater public attention.
Ministry of Justice statistics also showed that just four criminals convicted by Gwent Police of possessing knives, guns or other weapons were sentenced to at least a year in prison in 2017.
Figures for the Gwent force area showed that 74 people were found guilty in court of weapons possession offences last year. However only 5% were handed prison time of 12 months or more. In fact more offenders received a community order, 15 in total.
Weapons possession offences include having a gun, knife or bottle of acid in public, and more serious crimes include threatening someone with blades or firearms or taking them to schools.
Currently the minimum sentence is a community order and the maximum is four years’ imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence. However in June this year new guidelines came into effect making the minimum sentence six months in jail.
In 2017 no one convicted of a weapons crime received the maximum four-year jail term. Out of the 120 suspects Gwent Police brought to court, 62% were found guilty.
Of the total, 29 weapons trials were dealt with at crown court, indicating they are the most serious offences. The rest were seen at magistrates’ court where the maximum sentence is six months’ imprisonment.