Ninja sword surrender scheme

Owners of ninja swords will be able to surrender them at Bishopsgate Police Station, ahead of them becoming illegal this summer.

The Government-led scheme will run from 1 to 31 July 2025, to allow any member of the public to hand in weapons safely.

Anyone who owns a weapon that will be included in the new legislation is able to claim compensation from the Home Office, when they hand them in from July 1.

From 1 August, anyone caught in possession of a ninja sword in private could face up to six months in prison, later increasing to two years, under new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill.

The weapons will then become illegal to sell, supply, offer to supply, manufacture and possess.

There is already a penalty of up to four years in prison for carrying any weapon in public.

A ninja sword is described as a sword with:

• a blade whose length is at least 14 inches, but no more than 24 inches (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade);
• a primary straight cutting edge;
• a secondary straight cutting edge;
• a blunt spine; and
• either a tanto style point or a reversed tanto style point.

Surrender location – BISHOPSGATE POLICE STATION

Anyone handing in a ninja sword must take all reasonable steps to ensure it is safe to handle whilst travelling to the station and on police premises. Please contact the station prior to attendance by calling 101, selecting option 3 and asking for the station you are attending.

The sword must be wrapped and placed in a sealed bag or box, and not carried openly in public at any time. Once inside the station, you must not take out the weapon until requested to do so.

Further information is available on the Government website.

Owners of ninja swords will be able to surrender them at Bishopsgate Police Station, ahead of them becoming illegal this summer.

The Government-led scheme will run from 1 to 31 July 2025, to allow any member of the public to hand in weapons safely.

Anyone who owns a weapon that will be included in the new legislation is able to claim compensation from the Home Office, when they hand them in from July 1.

From 1 August, anyone caught in possession of a ninja sword in private could face up to six months in prison, later increasing to two years, under new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill.

The weapons will then become illegal to sell, supply, offer to supply, manufacture and possess.

There is already a penalty of up to four years in prison for carrying any weapon in public.

A ninja sword is described as a sword with:

• a blade whose length is at least 14 inches, but no more than 24 inches (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade);
• a primary straight cutting edge;
• a secondary straight cutting edge;
• a blunt spine; and
• either a tanto style point or a reversed tanto style point.

Surrender location – BISHOPSGATE POLICE STATION

Anyone handing in a ninja sword must take all reasonable steps to ensure it is safe to handle whilst travelling to the station and on police premises. Please contact the station prior to attendance by calling 101, selecting option 3 and asking for the station you are attending.

The sword must be wrapped and placed in a sealed bag or box, and not carried openly in public at any time. Once inside the station, you must not take out the weapon until requested to do so.

Further information is available on the Government website.