Knuckle dusters, Japanese swords and a nine-foot blow pipe, are some of the illegal and dangerous weapons seized by Manchester Airport this year.
Many of the items have been bought by holidaymakers who believed the weapons were legal in the UK as they were on general sale in countries such as Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Other deadly weapons confiscated from offloaded luggage include samurai throwing stars, flick knives and replica guns.
Border Force, the law enforcement group involved in control and customs, are reminding travellers about the rules regarding weapons in anticipation of the upcoming summer holiday season as incidents like this are due to a lack of education and awareness about law in the UK.
Sam Bullimore, Border Force assistant director for Manchester Airport said: “Just because you can legally buy an item while on holiday abroad does not mean you can bring it back to the UK.
“If you are caught trying to smuggle dangerous weapons into the country or simply unaware of the controls in place, these weapons will be detected and confiscated and you could face prosecution.
“My message to holidaymakers is simple, don’t risk it.
“At best, you’ll have the weapons taken off you and at worst you’ll face a criminal conviction.”
To find out more on what items can and cannot be brought in to the UK, click here.
Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling can call the Border Force hotline on 0800 59 5000.
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