Government Minister Warns of Children Trading Knives Online Like Clothing
Policing and crime minister Sarah Jones has issued a stark warning about the ease of purchasing and selling knives in the United Kingdom, highlighting a disturbing trend where children as young as 12 are engaging in online weapon trade. Speaking at the inauguration of the new National Knife Crime Centre in Bloomsbury, central London, Jones emphasized that criminals are exploiting the digital marketplace, encouraging young people to buy and sell knives similarly to how they trade clothes for profit.
"We Have to Come Down Very Hard on That"
Jones stated, "If you look at the current landscape with young people encouraged to set up their own business to buy and sell online, to buy clothes, sell them, make profit, within that landscape, criminals have come into that and gone 'OK, you can do this by buying and selling knives'." She stressed the urgent need for government action, declaring, "And so [the government] have to be on top of that, and we have to come down very hard on that."
The minister further criticized the accessibility of knives, noting, "It is too easy to be able to buy and sell and receive knives in this country, and we need to keep pushing to do more." In response, ministers are currently reviewing consultation feedback on potentially implementing a licensing system for sellers and importers of knives and bladed articles. This initiative aims to halve knife crime over the next decade, with Jones suggesting, "There could be a licence regime which licenses who can sell knives and who can't and what the purpose could be for." She added that any new legislation must consider legitimate uses, such as martial arts.
Statistics and Support for Crackdown
According to the latest Office for National Statistics figures, police-recorded knife crime decreased by 9% last year, with 50,430 offences logged in the year to September 2025. However, the new government-funded National Knife Crime Centre seeks to bolster police efforts in identifying and tackling offenders who sell offensive weapons online, often referred to as the "grey market."
Nikita Kanda, 25, whose 16-year-old brother Ronan was murdered in 2022 with a ninja sword bought online, spoke at the event, underscoring the critical importance of addressing online sales to teenagers. Kanda insisted, "The online sale of dangerous weapons is something that should never be taken lightly. We know young people have been targeted online, and that means weapons are not harmless objects. They are being used to enable, inflict and escalate violence, and that is why decisive action is so important."
Broader Legislative Efforts
The crime and policing bill, now in its final parliamentary stages, plans to intensify measures against knife crime, antisocial behaviour, violence against women and girls, shoplifting, and child abuse. In February, deputy prime minister David Lammy announced that children caught carrying knives in England and Wales would receive earlier, more targeted support, including mandatory specialized plans from authorities, following a stabbing incident at a secondary school in Brent, north-west London.
This comprehensive approach reflects growing concerns over youth involvement in weapon trade and the government's commitment to curbing knife-related violence through stricter regulations and enhanced enforcement.
