Amazon removes illegal weapons from sale after Daily Record probe

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Amazon has removed potentially deadly weapons from its site after a Daily Record probe found banned items such as truncheons and martial art whips being sold on the online marketplace.Our investigation found the items, marketed as for 'self-defence', being sold on Amazon by third-party sellers.

UK law prohibits items the items we discovered on the site being sold for the purpose of being used as a weapon.Persons found with an illegal weapon can face arrest and a prison sentence up to four years.Simple searches for 'self defence' on the website brought up items which included a wooden truncheon, recommended by the site as a 'Fishing bat.' Sold for £27.99, the weapon is described as being of '1960s Leeds constabulary design' and has a 'myriad of uses.'Further searches revealed telescopic-type steel truncheons listed for sale between £14.99 and £25.

Described on the site as Enhanced Retractable Multi-Tools, Google search results for the weapons showed links to Amazon and carried the description of 'self-defence stick.'Pictures also demonstrated their use as an extending weapon.Other listings for stainless steel 'pointers' or flag poles also showed extendable weapons which have ball bearing ends and are described as being 'anti-shock.' These were being sold for a little as £5.99.The Record also found a further chilling weapon which was described as a 'multipurpose combat whip.' The item consists of a handle with three stainless steel cables and was listed as being able to smash through car windows.Laws governing offensive weapons came in 1988 and were updated in 2019 under the Offensive Weapons Act.The Prevention of Crime Act 1953 classifies any item that is intended or brandished as a weapon as an offensive weapon.