Ninja swords handed in to police after scheme

Sixty-six ninja swords were handed in to police during July

More than 80 bladed weapons, including 66 "ninja swords", have been handed in to police following a Home Office scheme.

A total of 81 swords and knives were surrendered at police help desks or given to officers in West Yorkshire during the programme, which ran from 1 July to 31 July.

The scheme was launched ahead of new legislation which came into effect on 1 August to make it a criminal offence to possess ninja swords in private or manufacture, import, or sell them.

Ch Insp James Kitchen said: "We have been very pleased with the response from the public to the July amnesty and want others who own weapons that are now illegal to hand then in or ethically destroy them as soon as possible."

It was said that some may be given compensation if they handed in the ninja swords.

He added: "The ban on owning ninja swords was a very welcome change to the law which gives us a much better ability to limit the availability of these dangerous weapons.

"We have seen cases locally and nationally where these swords have been used to cause fear and injury, including the 2022 murder of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, in Wolverhampton which prompted the national banning of these items.

"As a force, we of course support any measure which increases public safety and which can help us get dangerous weapons that can cause serious harm off our streets."

Ninja swords are defined as having a blade between 14 and 24 inches, a straight cutting edge, and a tanto-style point.

Possession in private, supply, sale, and importation of ninja swords from this month onwards could lead to a prison sentence of up to six months, potentially increasing to two years under new measures.

Carrying a weapon in public already carries a penalty of up to four years in prison.

Ch Insp Kitchen added that police have reminded retailers of the changes in legislation and will continue to monitor stores across the country.

"Persons found in breach of legislation, either through selling these swords or now illegally owning them, face prosecution with a potential maximum sentence of two years in prison," he said.

"Weapons such as ninja swords have no place in our communities and we intend to do all we can to enforce the ban now in place."

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