West Midlands Police arrested a 46-year-old man in the Walsall area on the morning of October 1 on suspicion of being concerned with the sale of offensive weapons and marketing a knife in a way that indicates it is suitable for combat or stimulates violent behaviour.
The arrest took place as part of Project Guardian Taskforce, a police initiative cracking down on knife crime. Officers from the Operational Support Unit and partners at Walsall Trading Standards also carried out a warrant at a linked industrial premises in Walsall, where searches recovered two illegal zombie-style knives.
Project Guardian Taskforce operation
Project Guardian Taskforce is working with the National Knife Crime Coordination Centre (NKCC) to investigate zombie-style knives being sold via a website. The taskforce is focused on bringing down knife crime, robbery, and serious youth violence in the community.
Insp Colin Gallier, from the Guardian Taskforce, said taking weapons off the streets is "key" to lowering knife crime across the region.
Police comment on weapon seizures
Gallier said: "We work hard with our partners, including the NKCC, to develop intelligence related to the sale of knives, as taking dangerous weapons off the streets and understanding how they fall into the wrong hands is key to reducing knife crime across the region."
He added: "Every weapon seized is potentially a life saved, and this is happening alongside our other work including education programmes with young people, proactive targeted patrols, and the relentless pursuit of offenders."
Public urged to report suspicious activity
Gallier continued: "We’ll continue to work with partners and colleagues across West Midlands Police to take action and warn against the risks of these weapons."
West Midlands Police urged anyone who sees anything suspicious in their area to get in touch by calling 101, or by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to stay anonymous.
