7,000 swords seized in Dublin raids
Wednesday, 4 November 2009 22:36
Up to 7,000 swords and a number of air rifles have been seized in garda searches in Dublin.
The searches were carried out in a number of warehouses and other premises in the Smithfield area of the capital on Monday.
Hundreds of swords were found still in boxes while others with blades ranging to over 1m in size have been put on display by gardaí.
Gardaí from the Bridewell as well as from the Crime Prevention Unit assisted by the District Detective Unit, Divisional Crime Task Force, and the Neighbourhood Policing Unit were involved in the searches.
Two men in their 20s were interviewed in relation to the seizure and have since been released without charge.
A file is being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The sale and supply of the swords was outlawed on 1 September this year.
A spokesman for Minister of Justice Dermot Ahern 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.'
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