Last updated by Stephanie Rosser on Tuesday, July 15, 2025

From 1 July to 31 July a Home Office national surrender scheme is in place, encouraging members of the public who may be in possession of ninja style knives or swords, to hand them in ahead of a change in law which will see it illegal to own these types of weapons.

The amnesty follows the success of the zombie knife and machete surrender scheme held in summer 2024 which saw more than 200 knives handed in at police station front counters across Essex, and many more deposited in the county’s knife bins.

Since the Violence and Vulnerability Unit (VVU) was established in 2019, over £9 million of investment has been brought into the county and during this time there has been a 24% reduction in Knife Crime.

Essex VVU, as part of its work, have resources on knife harm to support parents and carers speak to their young people about knife crime, more information can be found at www.essexvvu.co.uk/knives 

Individuals in possession of a ninja style knife can hand it in either at an Essex Police station, or deposit it safely in one of the county’s knife bins. A list of the locations of knife bins is available here.