Victoria Police has announced a record number of knives were seized from Victorian streets in 2024, with almost 40 blades found and destroyed each day.
This announcement follows the recent recovery of 930 samurai swords, zombie knives and katana swords from within a Dandenong South factory by the Springvale Divisional Response Unit.
The investigation commenced after police became aware an online company was allegedly selling prohibited weapons without a license or permit - including to known youth offenders.
Police performed an early morning raid on Monday 10 February at the Goodall Close factory, which allegedly acts as a distribution centre for the company.
The alleged director of the company - a 40-year-old man from Toorak - was interviewed at Springvale Police Station on Tuesday 25 February in relation to a range of offences, including selling prohibited weapons to children, displaying prohibited weapons for sale, and possessing prohibited weapons without an exemption.
No charges have been laid yet, however he is expected to be charged on summons.
This haul comes after Victoria Police seized a record 14,797 knives, swords, daggers, and machetes last year - the most at any time over the past decade.
The total number of edged weapon seizures jumped from 13,063 in 2023 and 11,331 a decade earlier (2015).
Police seize most knives from residential addresses during targeted search warrants on known offenders, rather than from people carrying them within the community.
OMNI Operations are another useful tool available to police, enabling officers to conduct planned weapons searches in designated areas where violence has previously occurred involving edged weapons.
In the past four financial years, Victoria Police has detected and seized almost 450 weapons during these operations.
While youth gangs are only involved in 10% of all stabbings, police know these people are those most likely to be carrying and using knives in public.
That's why they continue to be given no room to move, with officers from Operation Alliance conducting regular bail compliance checks, search warrants, vehicle intercepts, and patrols where they hang out.
Operation Alliance led to the arrest of 466 youth gang members a total of 1,791 times over the past year. Almost 4,750 charges were laid in relation to these matters.
Anyone with information about prohibited weapons is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Quotes attributable to Acting Commander Michael Cruse, Victoria Police knife crime portfolio holder.
"We know the carriage and use of knives creates fear and apprehension within the community.
"That's why Victoria Police is determined to take as many knives, swords, and machetes out of the hands of criminals as possible.
"Over the past decade, police have taken almost 120,000 edged weapons off Victorian streets, with that number reaching record levels last year.
"In 2024, we seized more knives than at any other point over the past decade - just under 14,800 for the year which is the equivalent of 40 per day.
"Despite increasing numbers of knives being seized, we are actually seeing a reduction in the number of stabbings that occur in Victoria.
"Despite public incidents dominating the headlines, the real impact of knife crime is still felt at home with more than half of all stabbings in residential settings and a fifth family violence related."
Quotes attributable to Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia Investigations and Response Inspector Natalie Dollard.
"Police are zeroing in not only on those who carry and use edged weapons, but also those who illegally sell them.
"If you are knowingly selling prohibited weapons to anyone, particularly children, there are serious repercussions.
"In addition to our work at grassroots level, Victoria Police is also providing intelligence to Australian Border Force around the supply of illegal weapons into the country.
Stabbing trends - 2024 calendar year
• 3.6% reduction in stabbings.
• 618 stabbings, down from 641.
• Almost 75% of non-family violence stabbing victims had prior criminal offences, with criminal disputes a common theme in incidents where people are stabbed.
• Adults account for around 70% of victims and over 55% of all offenders.
• There is a misconception that children are most commonly involved in stabbings, however children only account for 10% of stabbing victims and 20% of stabbing offenders.
• 86 less child and youth offenders involved in stabbings from 2023.
• 11% of all stabbings involved a youth gang member as either the offender or the victim.
• 51.9% of stabbings were in a residential location, with family violence, disputes between associates, drugs, alcohol, and mental health all contributing factors.
• 18.9% of stabbings were family violence related.
Knife seizures over past decade
2015 11331
2016 11914
2017 10639
2018 11169
2019 11864
2020 12154
2021 10682
2022 12324
2023 13063
