Police stopped and searched more than 50 people after getting information that there was "potential for gun activity" at the Rangers sports ground in Southampton and another event in Paget, it emerged yesterday.

A Police spokesman revealed in a statement how officers were tipped off that there may be trouble at a total of three events over the weekend.

"On Friday night Police received specific information that there was the potential for gun activity in the western parishes of Bermuda, specifically at events in Southampton and Paget," he explained.

"As a result, Police invoked section 315F of the Criminal Code and 54 people were stopped or searched with seven individuals arrested for drugs and/or warrants."

The spokesman did not specify what the events in question were. However, The Royal Gazette understands from a source that some of the information related to potential trouble at the Rangers ground in Southampton.

The spokesman added: "On Saturday there was also specific information that violence would take place at an event in St. George's (parish) and Police once again enacted section 315F of the Criminal Code. One man was arrested for drugs and one man was arrested for possessing a bladed article."

Once again, the event was not specified, but The Royal Gazette was told by the source that it was a party at St. David's Cricket Club, which ended up being cancelled.

Police can conduct searches under Section 315F of the Criminal Code in specific areas where they anticipate violence or the use of bladed or pointed articles. No incidents were reported to have taken place at the venues in the end.

The spokesman said: "We would like to thank members of the public for working with the Police and giving us critical information. We can only effectively Police our Island when the community takes an active role in the partnership."

He explained that the stop-and-search operation was not unprecedented in its scale, with a similarly large number of searches conducted over Cup Match.

"If the public gives us the information we'll do what we can to pre-empt what the bad guys have in mind," he added.

St. David's Club president Aaron Lugo said he was unaware of the issue.

"The club didn't have a party scheduled, so that's news to me," he told The Royal Gazette. "A bartender did tell me that the Police came inside and asked about a party but we didn't have anything scheduled we were just having a regular Saturday night."

Rangers president Randy Raynor could not be reached for comment.