St Ann’s Teen Caught Hiding Machete in His Trousers During Taxi Ride Sent to Jail
A Nottingham teenager caught with a machete concealed in his waistband has been jailed following a police stop. Mohammed Moussa, 19, was a passenger in a taxi that was flagged down by Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime team after officers noticed the occupants behaving suspiciously.
The incident unfolded around 12:10 pm on January 7 on Whitechapel Street when the car was pulled over. Moussa attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended and handcuffed by officers. During the arrest, a sheathed machete was discovered hidden in his waistband, Nottinghamshire Live.
Moussa, of Blundell Close, St Ann’s, was arrested and charged with possession of a knife in a public place. He pleaded guilty to the offense and was sentenced to eight months in prison at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on January 8.
Also in the taxi was 20-year-old Laquarne Fogo, of Cameron Road, Derby. A search revealed he had a lock knife hidden in his underpants. Fogo also pleaded guilty to knife possession and has been remanded in custody, awaiting sentencing on January 29.
PC Ken Tinley of Nottinghamshire Police praised the successful operation, stating: “This proactive vehicle stop has allowed us to seize and destroy two blades, and place two knife carriers before the courts. This is exactly the sort of outcome the knife crime team was established to achieve.”
He emphasized the dangers of carrying knives in public, adding: “Everything we do as a team is geared towards taking knives off the streets and bringing anyone who carries them to justice. There is never any excuse for anyone to be carrying a blade in public. It puts themselves and anyone they come into contact with at risk of harm. As this incident also highlights, it can very quickly lead to you being put behind bars.”
The case underscores Nottinghamshire Police’s ongoing efforts to tackle knife crime and reduce the risks associated with carrying weapons in public spaces. Both arrests have been cited as a positive step toward keeping the streets safer and holding offenders accountable.