Armed police and sniffer dogs surrounded an Aberdeen high-rise after receiving a tip-off that a wanted man was there.
Police sealed off roads around the Kincorth Land block at around 2pm as they searched for the man who police wish to speak to in connection with drugs offences.
The searches follow a similar incident yesterday which saw armed police assist searches in the Torry area of the city.
Shocked local residents watched on from behind police tape while others still in the block leaned out their windows to watch the proceedings below.
A man was seen to be taken from the building but police have confirmed it is not the man they were seeking.
By around 3.15 pm police removed the tape and re-opened roads.
Speaking at the scene Kevin Wallace, Northfield policing inspector, said the man was not considered dangerous to the public.
He said: “We’re looking for one individual and we got a suggestion which took us to here.
“It was necessary to ensure the safety of the public so we extended our presence and closed the roads.
“We had armed response officers who were working closely with dog handlers within the initial area.
“The man wouldn’t be dangerous in terms of the public, there is no threat in that respect.
“The inquiry will continue and appropriate resources will deal with appropriate aspects of it.
“We’ve spoken to a number of individuals from the building and we still need to speak to the man as part of the inquiry.
“The information we had lead us to deploy officers and considerable resources here but we have not located him.
“I would like to thank the public for their assistance and co-operation in the matter.”
Michelle Gardener, 25, a student, watched the drama unfold.
She said: “We saw a young guy taken from the block.
“It’s such a quiet area here, you would never expect anything like this.”
Katie Christie, 20, a manager at a local take away, said: “A friend came into my work and told me that there was a load of chaos happening down here.
“I came along to have a look since I stay nearby.
“I’ve lived here my whole life and never seen anything like it. It’s crazy.”
One resident of Kincorth Land, who didn’t want to be named, was returning from her shift at a fish factory when she found the entrance to her home blocked.
She said: “The police had guns and shields. It was really scary.”