Irish police seize 7,000 swords

More than 7,000 swords were seized in the raids

More than 7,000 swords have been seized in Dublin by Irish police.

The swords, along with some air rifles, were seized in the north inner city of the Irish Republic's capital.

Police based in Bridewell carried out raids at a number of premises in the area on Monday, but details have only just been released.

Two men in their 20s were questioned over the seizure and have since been released without charge, pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The swords were of different length and specification, an Irish police spokesperson said.

Ninja

Hundreds of swords still in boxes while scores more with blades ranging in size from one to four feet long were put on display by police.

Other weapons included carved handle and decorative oriental knives, ninja and samurai-style axes and other accessories.

The sale and supply of such swords was outlawed on 1 September.

The crackdown was part of Justice Minister Dermot Ahern's efforts to limit knife crime on the streets, but does not apply to hand-carved swords made before 1954.

Mr Ahern's spokesman said: "The minister has been on record in recent years about the dangers posed by samurai swords. They have been used with very damaging effect on our streets.

"Because of that he introduced legislation banning the swords.

"The seizure of such a vast quantity of samurai swords should reduce significantly any threat these swords might have proved to the public."

Anyone illegally in possession of samurai-style swords faces up to seven years in prison. The penalty for possessing a knife in a public place was also increased from one to five years in the new legislation.