Dudley’s trading standards team is advising businesses in the borough to be aware of their responsibilities when selling knives.

Starting this month, the team will conduct three months of undercover test purchasing operations to check if retailers are complying with laws prohibiting the sale of knives to children under 18.

If any business is found to have sold a knife to a child during this period, they risk enforcement action that could lead to criminal prosecutions of both the business and the seller.

This work follows previous action taken by the team in 2024, which caught a retailer in the Lye area selling a seven-inch stainless steel chopper blade to a 15-year-old undercover volunteer. This case is currently with the courts.

Data from the ONS shows that West Midlands Police recorded the highest rate of knife crime in the country in 2023/24, with 178 offences per 100,000 residents.

In total, there were 5,268 knife offences in the region during this period.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:

“As a council, we are committed to tackling knife crime and the devastating effect it has on our communities.

“Our trading standards team work tirelessly to keep the public safe and this is another example of their outstanding work to protect the borough from a small minority of irresponsible traders.”

To report any business in the borough selling knives to children under 18, contact the trading standards team via trading.standards@dudley.gov.uk.