Zombie knife wholesaler paid £350k of tax payers' cash to hand over weapons to police
12 September 2024, 15:50
A knife supplier regularly used by gangs has been offered £350,000 of taxpayers cash to give up their stock as part of a weapons amnesty.
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The wholesaler, who has seen its weapons used in several killings over the years, has surrendered more than 35,000 "zombie" blades.
The supplier, Sporting Wholesale, who also owns the knife brand Anglo Arms, sells knives that have previously been used to "kill and maim" victims.
In 2021, the company admitted it had gained a "reputation with gangs", with the company now offered £10 for every blade it surrenders by Bedfordshire Police.
The company has since refused to comment on the subject.
Now, a post on Sporting Wholesale's website reads that "after supplying the trade with cutlery and archery products for over 20 years" it was "saddened to say that Sporting Wholesale Ltd are now ceasing the sale of these items".
Zombie knives are weapons widely used by gangs, with these long, ornate blades - often decorated with bold colours - inspired by designs seen in big-screen zombie films.
The weapons were first banned in 2016 - with a stricter law set to come into force across England and Wales on September 24 as part of the latest police crack down on violent disorder.
Supt Alex House, who leads on knife crime for Bedfordshire Police, said the knives and machetes had "no other use" than as weapons.
"There’s no other practical use for them," he told the BBC.
"If you look at the design... the purpose is to kill and maim."
The law, which comes into effect on September 24, will make it illegal to own a knife with a sharpened blade longer than 8inches (20cm).
The criteria will also ban blades with either a serrated cutting edge, more than one hole on the blade, decorative spikes or more than two sharp points on any one blade.
The new rules now mean a tighter restriction on the purchase of knives.
Earlier this year, Anglo Arms said that "over the last five to six years knife crime has increased
"As a result... we reduced the Anglo Arms range to cover practical and traditional knives only".
Eddy Eliaz, managing director of Sporting Wholesale, is also a major shareholder alongside his younger brother, Adam Eliaz.
Adam is also a major shareholder in DNA Leisure - a similar online retailer stationed on the very same industrial estate according to an investigation by the BBC.
DNA Leisure was also found to have surrendered 1,542 knives as part of the swap.
It follows the 2023 case of Rayis Nibeel and an accomplice were charged with the murder of Omar Khan in Luton.
Nibeel was found to have purchased 79 knives and machetes from DNA Leisure despite being only 16.
He was found to have used a family member's ID to buy the weapons in 13 different transactions.
DNA Leisure's response to the case was that Nibeel had committed "fraud" and the company had used an "age-verified courier" to make the deliveries.
It comes just days after Sir Keir Starmer promised action to tackle the online sale of deadly weapons.
The PM hosted a summit with knife crime campaigners on Monday, with attendees including Hollywood star and DJ Idris Elba, as well as victims' families.
The summit - hosted at 10 Downing Street - brought together community groups and victims' families who have first-hand experience that can be used to change policy and legislation on the matter.
