Ninja Sword Surrender Scheme
Surrender your ninja swords this July, ahead of the new legislation by the Government to ban them from August.
From July until the ban, a Home Office scheme will allow people to surrender Ninja swords in police stations across the country, including all front counter police stations in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Ninja swords will be illegal to own, manufacture or import from 1 August.
The ban comes after campaigners pushed for tougher rules around owning blades that have no practical purpose beyond being used as weapons. It follows the tragic killing of a 16 year-old boy called Ronan Kanda, in Wolverhampton in 2022.
Legally, a Ninja sword is defined as:
A fixed bladed article with a blade between 14-24 inches (the length of the blade being the straight-line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade) with:
- A simple straight cutting edge; and
- A tanto style point
- A reversed tanto style point.
The surrender and compensation scheme enables you to claim compensation if you are eligible. You must surrender the sword at a designated police station.
For more information on the scheme, visit the Home Office Guidance.
The surrender and compensation scheme is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to tackling serious violence and strengthening police powers to act. Changes to the Criminal Justice Act 1988 will add ninja swords to the list of prohibited offensive weapons.
Under the scheme, these can be surrendered to police. Lawful owners will be able to claim compensation for the items in most cases, if the total value of the items is more than £5. Claims can be submitted using a form which is available here on the Government website.
Designated police stations
Ninja swords can be surrendered and compensation claimed at these designated front offices:
- Aldershot Police Station Wellington Avenue Aldershot GU11 1NZ
- Andover Police Station South Street Andover SP10 2ED
- NPIC Police Station Jays Close Viables Business Park Basingstoke RG22 4BS
- EPIC Police Station Airport Service Road Portsmouth PO3 5GE
- Portsmouth Central Police Station Winston Churchill Avenue Portsmouth PO1 2DG
- Gosport Police Station Gosport Town Hall High Street Gosport PO12 1EB
- Winchester Police Station Tower Street Winchester SO23 8ZD
- Park Gate Police Station 60 / 64 Bridge Road Park Gate Southampton SO31 7HN
- Havant Police Station Civil Centre Road Havant PO9 2AN
- Waterlooville Police Station Swiss Road Waterlooville PO7 7FX
- Fareham Police Station Quay Street Fareham PO16 0NA
- Newport Police Station High Street Newport PO30 1SZ
- WPIC Police Station Southern Road Southampton SO15 1AN
- Portswood Police Station St Denys Road Southampton SO17 2GN
- Lymington Police Office NFDC Offices Avenue Road Lymington SO41 9ZG
- Petersfield Police Station, 10 The Square, Petersfield, GU32 3HW
- Yateley Police Station, Royal Oak Close, Yateley GU46 7UD
- Totton Police Station Testwood Lane Totton Southampton SO40 3ZE
- Ryde Police Station Station Street Ryde PO33 2QH
Safety
People surrendering items must ensure that the items are safe to handle while travelling to the police station and while on police premises.
They must be contained in a manner that allows them to be transported without causing distress or alarm to other members of the public.
Items must be wrapped up and placed in a sealed bag or box.
They must not be carried openly at any time.
Carrying bladed articles in public without a good reason or lawful authority is an offence. Carrying the items according to these instructions and accompanied by the claim form will allow individuals to claim that they have a ‘good reason’ - namely that they are about to surrender the articles at the nearest designated police station - if stopped by the police.
Once in the police station, the person must not take the item out until requested to do so by a police officer or member of police staff.